Désolé
by Ariannette
Summary: Sequel to Restricted Ardor. Paire I promise!. Claire's memories have vanished, but peter rememberes. he flees new york so she can't find him, hoping she'd forget him. But he soon finds out, you can't make someone forget love. No AU.
1. Prologue

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_p r o l o g u e_

I remember everything, the words we spoke on freezing rooftops.

You had a beautiful smile, the way it curled and collapsed on your lips.

When you touched me I shook like a child, but it's too late, and I'm afraid you don't remember.

Don't leave me here with only mirrors watching me.

This house holds nothing but memories, of you and your lovely scent.

I talk to the mirrors, to the stranger that appears.

Our conversations are circles, always one sided, nothing is clear.

Except we keep coming back, to this meaning that I lack.

He says, "The choices were given. Now you must live them, or just not live, but do you want that?"

So I wait for the day, when your dreams will find me, and I'll be waiting by your side.

…...…

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

Peter woke from his dream panting. Another restless night passed by him. One of many dreams since the disaster, at his wedding with Candice. Sylar had gotten away from Hiro, and hadn't been seen since. The images of Candice laying at the alter with half her head severed haunted him. He knew he could go back and save her, but he didn't have the courage to do it, he didn't want to face Claire.

He'd taken everything away from her, and turned her into a lost girl. She didn't know it was his fault, and he prayed that she wouldn't remember. He'd only done it so she wouldn't suffer. So she wouldn't remember the sinful love they shared, so she wouldn't remember the kiss she never got.

He stood up shaking his hair, it had grown vastly in the past four months. He'd let it grow for Claire, he remembered how she'd always love his bangs dropping in front of his face. Everything he did was for her now. He'd left New York for her, so she wouldn't find him. The reason for that being, was that eventually, she'd remember, and when she did, she would go searching for him, to yell, to hate, to love, to be with, but he knew that couldn't happen.

After the incident at his wedding, he didn't want to hurt Nathan again. That had done irreparable damage to his political campaign, and his approval rating had gone down nine points.

He grabbed a cigarette from his nightstand and walked out to his balcony. The moon provided enough light for him to light his cigarette.

The other _him_ had taken on the habit, and Peter had just gone along with it. That was the other reason he'd fled. He didn't want his other persona giving Claire what he knew they shouldn't have. He wanted to save her from the hell he was condemned to, if the day when he died ever came.

An acceptance letter had arrived from NYU and UC San Diego, and he jumped at the idea of going California to study medicine. He didn't know when or how he'd applied, but he was happy he had. The weather in California was completely different from New York. He always had his shirt sleeves rolled up, and sometimes simply wore t-shirts.

His apartment was off the beach. Sometimes he'd walk outside and sit on the rocks and simply look on to the water, thinking only of Claire, and how she was. Most days though, were blank for him too, he'd resigned and let his other half take over, he surfed, he had friends, but Peter didn't. Peter was confined inside a cage, put to sleep, until _he _decided it was ok.

It should have bothered him, but it didn't. With out Claire he was empty inside, he didn't let himself heal, he didn't want to think of her. Yet everyday every blonde reminded him of her. His heart would always fasten, thinking it was her, but when the girls would turn, it was always someone else. All the blondes teased him, taunted his mind, everyday he was less and less alive. The day Claire's memories had vanished into thin air, part of him had gone with them.

Peter walked back inside, with his cigarette in hand grabbing the rest, and walked out of his apartment, on to the cove. He sat on the rock. He missed the days when he could see the sunrise instead of sunsets. He missed taking cabs everywhere and walking through overly crowded New York Streets.

"Peter?"

His head snapped up to see a blonde guy with a surf board, his name was Cole. He recognized him; it was a guy his other half had befriended. He didn't know him personally that well, but Cole seemed to know him pretty well. He sat next to Peter and laid his surfboard by his side.

"Can I bum one?" he asked referring to the cigarettes. He handed the carton and lighter over to Cole, who lit his own cigarette, and exhaled smoke.

"Why do you always sit here?" he asked confused, "It's depressing"

Peter shrugged as he raised the cigarette to his lips, sucking hard on it. Cole shook his head and laughed.

"That was some party last night, wasn't it?" he smiled.

Again, Peter shrugged, and smiled grimly, "I don't remember any of it actually"

Which was the truth, he didn't. His other half had taken over at the beginning of the party, he always said he was the better partier, Peter didn't deny it. He himself hadn't ever partied much, in school he'd mainly studied, and kept to his dorm.

Cole slapped Peter on his back, and laughed hard, "I figured dude, you party hard. You always do."

He stood up and stepped on the stub of his cigarette, "I'll see you later man. I have a Poli Sci final in the morning, well more like three hours! Ha!"

Peter waved as he left, and thought he was lucky. For him school didn't start until the end of August. He turned back to his view of the endless ocean; somewhere in Texas, it was seven and Claire would be on her way to school.

…...…

_Odessa, Texas. Claire Petrelli_

Petrelli. The last name sounded alien to her. Somehow, she had legally changed her name in New York, and had been accepted into the Petrelli mansion with the family. She had dreams about it, her bedroom, and of chasing her younger siblings around.

While Bennett had been her last name her whole life, Petrelli was the last name she wrote on her registration papers to admit her back into school. Upon her arrival to Union Wells High School, everyone bombarded her with questions. How it was like to live with the Petrellis', was she rich now? What had really happened at Peter's wedding. All the questions which she didn't have any answers too. She didn't remember what it was like to live with them.

When someone had asked her about Peter's wedding, she'd been shocked, by the mere fact that she'd attended it and didn't remember. All she remembered was her lonely trip to Paris, and how she'd spent her birthday and Christmas alone.

After a few days at home with her family, she'd gotten a disturbing phone call from a guy in New York claiming to be her boyfriend. His name was Jerod, and he'd said they were expecting a baby. She'd yelled at him and asked her dad to change their phone number, in case he tried to call back.

A few weeks after the phone call from Jerod, she'd gotten another one from her _stepmother_ Heidi, who'd invited her to go back and visit them for the fourth of July. Her father had made her accept the invitation. He'd mumbled something about how her grandmother Angela would whisk her away again if she didn't go.

"Claire? Claire!"

Claire turned to look at Zach who was frowning at her.

"Seriously Claire, what did they do to you? You seem to be off in a cloud every couple of minutes," he accused.

She sighed smiling, "I don't know Zach…I just, it feels weird not remembering almost a full year of your life. How did you feel when the Haitian took your memories of being my friend away?"

He shrugged and offered her chips which she declined with a disgusted face, "See that's another thing! Before you'd stuff anything in your face, now it seems like you hate food."

Claire rolled her eyes, "Just answer my question Zach"

"Well everything seemed the same for me. The only thing I didn't remember was being your friend, other than that my life was pretty much normal"

Claire frowned walking along with Zach towards her house. All the way to her house they talked about her birthday and how it was only a week away. She was turning eighteen, and had already been admitted into NYU, UCLA, UCSD, and UT. Her parents hoped she'd pick UT, but something made her cling to UCSD. There was an Oceanography program that had attracted her to the school, and as much as she thought she didn't like the thought of leaving her family again, the school allured her.

"Have you gotten any letters from schools back?" she asked Zach.

"Yes, UCSD just like you, and UT"

"That's great Zach! We can both go to California!"

It sounded so simple, to pack up and leave for a whole different state, but in the back of her mind her family appeared, and she'd miss them.

They arrived at her front door and Claire spontaneously hugged Zach. When she pulled away, he frowned, looking half scared, half weirded out.

"What was that for?"

Claire beamed at him, "You never know when I'll see you again. I've learned to make all goodbye's memorable"

Zach shook his head laughing, "I'm sure I'll see you at graduation tomorrow, even if the world was ending, I don't think you'd miss that"

Claire laughed as Zach walked away and shut the door behind her. Her nostrils filled with the familiar spices of her mom's cooking. It lured her into the kitchen, where her mom was holding Mr. Muggles and stirring a pot.

"Hi honey, how was school.?" she asked kissing Claire on the cheek.

Claire smiled and shrugged, "as can be expected. I got my cap and gown today for tomorrow." she held up a plastic cleaners bag. It the gown and cap were red, but her tassel was white and red and read class of 08'.

"You are going to be the prettiest graduate there tomorrow," she beamed at her.

Claire grabbed Mr. Muggles from her mom, and set him down on the floor scratching his head.

"Your father and I received a call from your biological father today. Your family from New York is going to come to your graduation too"

Claire groaned, "Mom do they have to? I hardly know them!"'

"Honey, they have as much of a right to be there as we do. You have to be polite to them Claire, I didn't raise you to be hostile. Isn't that right Mr. Muggles? We want Claire bear to be nice don't we? Yes we do!"

Claire laughed, she was happy that nothing at home had changed since she'd been away. She thought about Nathan and the rest of her family from New York coming, that meant Peter would too. It had to mean that, he was the only person other than her own family she could trust. He saved her from Sylar twice, and with out any reason. Her skin prickled with expectancy as she thought of him, but she shook it off, she didn't like him right? He was her biological uncle, all she felt towards him was an appreciation.

_Odessa, Texas. The Next Day_

"Claire Petrelli!"

Claire walked forward to receive her diploma as her name was called. Seated far away from the graduates was both of her families. On the first row was her father, mother, and Lylle, who looked extremely bored. On the second was Nathan, Angela, Heidi, Monty and Simon. There was no sign of Peter anywhere. She looked back up as she was handed her diploma, hoping he'd show up afterwards.

He didn't. After all the graduates threw their caps and hugged each other, they walked to their families. Claire walked up to both of hers, biting her lip. Monty and Simon ran to her and hugged her at each side.

"Claire we miss you! You have to come home with us! Grandma said you would"

Claire smiled, but didn't remember getting to know them. They seemed so attached to her. She looked up to Nathan who smiled, handing her some keys.

"I'm so proud of you Claire. Every graduate deserves a present, I hope you like it, I asked Peter to help me pick it out for you"

Claire was puzzled, he'd handed her car keys. She looked down at the small Mercedes logo.

"Oh my god, no I can't possible accept that Nathan," she shook her head holding the keys back out to him.

Angela sighed and spoke up, "Take it child. He's your father, it will come in handy when you go off to college. I've taken care of your college expenses"

Claire looked over to her parents, who were forcing smiles. She knew they didn't approve of the expensive car, or the financial aid that Angela was offering. They were well off on their own, but she accepted their gifts anyway.

"Why don't we all go home, I've prepared meatloaf!" Claire's mom said excitedly.

Simon turned to Monty, "What's meatloaf?"

Monty frowned, "I think it's a loaf of bread and meat…right mom?" Monty tugged on Heidi's hand.

She nodded giggling, at them, "Yes honey, of course"

Once they got to Claire's house Lylle and the small boys were acquainted quite well. Heidi and Claire's mom had started talking about the kids, and cooking. The three that stood isolated and semi anti social were her father, Nathan and Angela. Claire smiled at all three of them, and hugged Angela who looked at her as if Claire had just done a back flip.

"I'm so happy everyone's here, why couldn't Peter make it?" she asked curiously.

"Oh Peter's busy in California. He got accepted into the medical school at UCSD, so he's preparing himself for that," Explained Nathan smiling at her.

Claire beamed, "I got accepted into UCSD too! I want to go study Oceanography there! They have an excellent program. This is perfect! I knew I wanted to go there, now Peter will be there too"

They all smiled except Claire's father, who pursed his lips, he still wanted her to attend UT.

Everything had finally brightened up. She had graduated, gotten a new car, and was going to go to school with Peter. He'd take care of her, she knew that. After all he was her hero.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The lyrics in the beginning are from various Bright eyes songs, that i mixed up, so it could work for the story. I know most of you who read the ending of Restricted Ardor were dissapointed by the ending, but don't worry, I promise I'll make it up to you! Please review! There WILL be Paire in this story, I promise!!! 


	2. Chapitre Un

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_C h a p t e r 1_

…...…

_Odessa, Texas. Claire Petrelli_

Claire looked into her new Mercedes SUV, it was completely full with all her possessions. The trip to California would take her approximately fourteen hours and thirty-six minutes. She had already gotten the address of where she'd be going, and Nathan had given her Peter's address and phone number. She'd decided that she wouldn't call him until she got there, she wanted to surprise him at his doorstep.

She looked over to her dad and mom who were standing a few feet away, with a somber look on their faces. She walked over and took them in a hug. Making sure that this time, it was a proper goodbye, she didn't want to regret not showing them how much she loved them.

"Claire I don't think this is a good idea," her dad said surveying the car, then watching her.

"Dad, I have to go! I promise I'll call you every hour like I said I would. I won't pull over for any stranger, and I'll call you every hour like I promised ok?"

His dad took her in for a hug and she tightened it, missing him already. She didn't know how she'd survived a full year with out ever visiting her parents. She moved on to hug her mom, who was starting to cry.

"Mom why are you crying?" she said wiping away a tear that was falling down her cheek.

"Oh honey, we just got you back and you're already leaving again. I'm just going to miss you so much." she sobbed.

Claire hugged her tightly again, and nearly got tears in her ayes. Her mother and her may not always have had a strong connection, but she loved her more than she could show her.

At last she turned to her brother who had his arms crossed, and quite a blank stare on his face. He sighed and opened his arms taking her in for a hug, "I guess I'll miss you too"

"I'll miss you too Lylle"

He smiled as she let go, and turned around to get into her car. She jumped up to get inside, the SUV was high off the ground and after all she was only 5'1. Claire really wondered if Peter had helped Nathan pick out her car. Wouldn't he have noticed she'd have problems getting into the car?

Once she was buckled and inside the car, she smiled at them, waving. She turned the key slowly, and started driving out of the driveway. With one last look at her family, she sighed and drove down the street. Until she turned the corner and couldn't see them anymore.

She passed down all the streets she'd known for years and had walked down numerous times on her way to school and back. She started realizing the next time she'd be back would probably be thanksgiving, months from now. After all it was only the beginning of August, once she'd get to California she'd have to find a way to entertain herself.

As she thought of Peter though, she felt a euphoric sensation run through her. He'd probably be more than happy to entertain her while school started. She couldn't help at safer knowing he was there. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd take care of her, no matter what happened.

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

The bright sun materialized through the cracks of Peter's curtains. He squinted a couple times and groaned, feeling his pounding headache. He turned away from the intense light and opened one eyes to see a blonde next to him. He closed his eyes in misery, that he wouldn't even remember the girl's name. After all it hadn't been him last night.

Without making any noise he slipped her leg off his and gently slid off the bed. He inaudibly walked over to his bathroom, and closed the door behind him. The throbbing in his head persisted and he looked at himself in the mirror grimacing. His skin was a weird yellow color, not bronzed because of the sun, or pale, it was just yellow. Palpable bags under his eyes gave away that he hadn't really slept in weeks, and black facial hair had started growing on his face.

He didn't look like his old self what so ever. When he opened his mouth to yawn he frowned upon smelling his putrid breath. He took out his tooth brush immediately, poured toothpaste all over it, and shoved it in his mouth.

After finished brushing his teeth, he turned the shower on, until the whole bathroom was full of steam. He stepped into the shower and let the hot water fall on his face. It made him feel slightly better, but at the same time the steam made him feel sleepy, and he closed his eyes flirting with the idea of falling asleep.

He finished taking a shower and walked out to see the blonde standing against the door frame with his button up shirt on. Peter swallowed, and formed a small smile. He couldn't deny the fact that she was attractive. He wrapped a towel around himself and stood awkwardly looking back at her.

"Good morning…' Peter tried to fake knowing who she actually was.

She smiled devilishly, and walked forward to Peter, "Morning stud, You were amazing Pete"

Peter frowned, "Pete?"

The girl nodded, sliding a finger across his wet chest, "You told me your name was Pete, is it not?"

He swallowed, a little nervous by the way she was touching him, "It's actually Peter, I don't know why I said Pete"

She kissed his chest delicately, making his heart fasten. Her lips were soft against his skin, and he closed his eyes letting himself enjoy the tenderness of her hands all over his body. He may not have known her name, but he let him himself be fondled with, until she was on her knees. He groaned, feeling her hands roam down his body.

The intensity of her touch heightened and Peter let out another soft grunt. Soon though they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Peter and the blonde made eye contact and he got up hurriedly, wrapping the towel around himself once more. He walked towards the front door and tried to calm himself down before opening the door. As he opened the door, he nearly closed it again.

Claire stood in front of him, grinning from ear to ear. She threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.

"Peter! I'm so happy to see you," she said earnestly.

He stood there speechless with his arms around her as well, hoping his towel wouldn't fall off his lower body.

"Claire…what are you doing here?" questions started flooding into his head, but he paced himself.

She let go of him, and frowned, "did I come at a bad time?"

Peter turned his head to see the blonde girl standing with her arms crossed with a perplexed expression. He closed the door behind him, and walked out with Claire.

"No. What are you doing here Claire? How did you find out where I lived?"

Claire smiled again, "I'm going to UCSD next semester. I got your address from Nathan, I decided to surprise you"

Peter couldn't help at smile and the girl's enthusiasm. It was as if he was talking to a completely different Claire. The Claire he'd known back in New York had been depressed and emotionless. Pretty much the way he felt at that moment.

"So you're going to live here in San Diego?"

Claire nodded her head pointed to a black Mercedes parked in front of his apartment, "That's Nathan's graduation present to me. He said you helped him pick it out"

Indeed he had helped. Nathan had wanted to get her a Volvo, but Peter had come to the rescue explaining how Claire's personality didn't fit with a Volvo. Nathan had ultimately let Peter decide on the car because he had to go back to his office for work.

"Uh…yeah I did. Do you like it?" he asked shaking his hair.

"Yes, it's absolutely perfect!"

Peter peered at it, and noticed it was filled with boxes and suitcases completely, "Did you _just _get here?"

Her cheeks turned bright red, "Yes, but I wanted to come see you first. I thought you'd be happy to see me." She noticed the frown on Peter's face, and her smile faded.

"I am, I just-well I'm just surprised, that's all…Let me go inside, and change. I'll go with you to where you're staying and help you move in, if you want?"

Claire beamed, "Really? You don't have to, but that would be wonderful"

Peter laughed, opened the door, and stepped back inside. He ran to his room, where the blonde was laying on his bed, smoking a cigarette, and looking at him with intensity.

"Who's that? Your girlfriend?"

He didn't turn to look at her, merely opened his closet to get dressed.

"No, she's my-niece…Look, I'm sorry but I have to go. You can let yourself out-"

"Jamie"

He stopped as he was putting one leg through his jeans, and looked over at her, "-Jamie"

He got his wallet from the table, and gave Jamie one last smile before closing the door behind him.

Claire was sitting on the steps looking interestingly as people walked by. He couldn't help at notice that through all of this, he was smiling. To her it was as if nothing had happened, but he, who knew everything she'd gone through, found it amazing. The way her lips curled, and her teeth showed themselves made Peter smile himself.

When Claire noticed he'd come out, she stood up and handed him her keys, "'I'm tired of driving"

…...…

Claire looked out the window of the car as they passed by the beach, it was beautiful. The weather was perfect, the sun was out and felt warm against her skin, yet it wasn't unbearably warm as in Odessa.

She turned over to look at Peter who was driving, she couldn't help at feel that he wasn't the same. The way he spoke was hesitant, and he looked at her with so much remorse, with a look of guilt.

The Peter she remembered from before the explosion had been happier, and more open. He turned to look at her and half smiled, then looked back at the road.

"Peter I don't remember anything, it scares me. All I have are snippets of what happened in Paris, but everything's blank after that. Until that night you dropped me off in Odessa"

Peter sighed, "Nothing important happened during that time Claire, don't worry about it"

She crossed her arms, "Peter, how can I not worry about it? Its more than a year of memories I don't have anymore! I keep getting these weird calls from a Jerod, saying he's my boyfriend. I asked Nathan about it and he said it was true, and I don't even remember a Jerod! Do you know how weird that is?"

He laughed, "Well he was your boyfriend, he isn't that smart, but he's a really nice guy"

Claire frowned, "I was dating a stupid guy?"

Peter nodded, "I use to tease him and you'd always get mad."

"Why would you tease him?"

Peter shrugged turning into the street were the complex she'd be staying at was. The entrance had a beautiful water fountain, he could tell his mom was paying for her condo.

He parked in her parking space for her condo, and got out, making sure to grab one of her boxes. She too grabbed a suitcase and followed him as he looked in which direction her condo was. After about ten minutes they stood in front of her two story condo. The backyard opened up to the shore. They could simply walk out and stand on the beach, if they walked down it enough, they'd get to Peter's apartment.

He set the box in the middle of her living room and looked around, "It's pretty nice, it must cost a fortune"

"Your mom's paying for it, she _insisted_"

They made a few trips to her car and brought back all of her belongings that she'd brought from her house. She started taking things out, and placing them on her counter, when she noticed Peter wasn't around anymore. He was in her backyard smoking.

Claire walked through the sliding door, and he turned as she shut it behind her.

"I didn't know you smoked"

Peter exhaled smoke and turned to look at her. One hand dug deep inside his pocket, while the other one was holding his cigarette, "Me neither, I just took it up out of know where"

"Smoking sucks. Peter you have to help me remember"

Peter sighed, and sucked hard on his cigarette before dropping it on the ground and stepping on it. He exhaled the smoke, and looked at Claire's determined face.

"Claire, I wasn't with you a lot of the time. All I know is that you went to school, joined the cheerleading squad over there, got your license and you were dating Jerod. That's all I know"

Claire knew he wasn't being completely honest, but she didn't understand what there would be to hide. Had she been a different person during that time? Done something bad? She sighed, "Ok…"

She looked down at the sand, wishing she could read his mind to see what he remembered.

_'Regenerating sucks. Reading minds would be much helpful'_ she thought.

Peter laughed and wrapped his arm around her, "Sometimes reading minds isn't all that cool Claire. You start hearing things you wished you never knew"

Claire froze next to him, her eyes got wide open and she looked up at him, "you can read minds?"

He nodded, walking them both back inside to her empty home.

"Yes, I didn't tell you before for a long time, I wish I had"

"Why? Did I have bad thoughts?"

Peter shook his head, "No they were mostly funny. You talked about eating snails, because you thought it was chicken"

Claire beamed at him, "Hey! I actually remember that! That happened in Paris didn't it?"

By the look on Peter's face, Claire knew she'd said something wrong. Peter had froze and wasn't saying anything. She bit her lip, "Did I say something wrong?"

Peter shook his head, "No…I just didn't think you'd remember things this fast"

"Oh I don't, its just snippets of things. To be honest, I hardly remember talking to you during that time. I just remember when you gave that speech about Nathan at one of his fundraisers. I remember going outside, and you followed me, but that's all I remember"

"Claire, there isn't any reason for you to try and remember ok? Nothing happened during your time in NY. You should just be happy that you got to go back with your parents, and to be alive"

"That's easy for you to say Peter, you remember everything. You don't have time lapses where everything's blank, like a static screen with no image to play. Maybe I should get a hold of this _Jerod_. Maybe he can help me remember more than you can"

Fright struck Peter's face and he looked down at Claire, "I'll help your remember, ok? Just give it time though, I don't want to bombard you with everything at once."

Claire sighed and nodded, "Do you promise?"

The look that Peter gave Claire should have made her realize that he was lying, but somewhere in all that mess that he was now, she hoped the Peter she knew, would help her.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to post! I have major writer's block right now. I'm trying hard to make it go away though! Thank you all so much for reading the first chapter to the sequel! I hope you guys like Desole as much as Restricted Ardor. thank you so much for all the reviews! tell me what you think! 


	3. Chapitre Deux

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Deux_

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

"You know, I don't know if this one's comfortable enough…I want it to be really bouncy," Claire sat on a mattress, looking up at Peter.

She'd begged him to go with her to find a bed for her room, she had slept in a sleeping back the past week, and had decided it was definitely time to get a bed. He'd been resistant at first, putting up excuses of why he couldn't help her, but she'd practically gotten on her knees and begged.

Suffice it to say, they were now in the middle of a furniture store, trying out mattresses. Claire could remember what her bed in New York had felt like, and wanted the exact same feeling.

"They all look the same to me Claire," Peter stood in front of her looking around the store, trying to avoid looking down at her.

She stood up and went to the next bed, and sat on it falling back. It was perfect, it felt like she was laying on feather pillows. She motioned for Peter to sit next to her, and he sighed, obliging.

"I like this one, it's bouncy, yet at the same time, very soft. Don't you think so?" she looked up at Peter.

He nodded, and stood up again, pulling her up, "You want this one?"

Claire placed a finger on her chin making her final decision, "Yes I think so"

Peter half smiled at her coyness and walked up to a salesperson to order Claire's mattresses.

Claire watched form a distance as he spoke. His lip moved to the right side, and when he smiled, it looked like the old Peter she knew. His radiant teeth made goose bumps appear on her arms.

_'He is so cute'_

Claire sighed and turned to pick up her purse, and didn't see Peter turn over to frown at her. She turned back and walked up to him, "So how's my bed going?"

"They have it in stock, they say they can deliver it today if you want," he cleared his throat scratching the back of his neck.

She went to customer service and finished filling out the information for them to drop off Claire's bed. The whole time Peter stood outside smoking. It sort of annoyed her that smoked so much, he gave off an eerie smell of cigarettes that bothered her. The Peter that she remembered always smelled fresh and clean.

The Peter she remembered had would have jumped at the idea of helping her with anything instead of putting up excuses. He'd been well mannered as to this peter seemed to purposely make her want to dislike him.

Claire had started wondering if he was purposely being an asshole.

After they ran the credit card Nathan had given her, she walked outside to meet Peter who sat on the steps, smoking yet again. She sat next to him, "You know…smoking is ugly. I had a neighbor back in Odessa who use to smoke everyday, eventually she started smoking out of her neck"

Peter raised in eyebrow, and gave her a crooked smile, "Isn't that an old commercial?"

She blushed, "You caught me, but still! I don't get why you're smoking…it's a turn off"

"Well for you it is, but that doesn't really matter does it?"

Claire didn't know whether to be bothered by it, or laugh it off, not giving it any importance. He did have a point, it didn't really matter if it was a turn off to her, after all she was just his niece…sort of. She grabbed his arm and shook him slightly smiling.

"Peter! What happened to you, you're so…depressed"

They both laughed, and he turned to look at her, "I'm not, I'm still the same"

She shook her head, and crossed her arms, "No you're not! I remember before the explosion you were full of love and I know it sounds corny but you seemed much more content"

He sighed and stood up, "Well you changed too, you're so…happy"

She'd always been happy, so Claire didn't understand what Peter was talking about, "What do you mean?"

He shrugged, and stepped on his cigarette exhaling smoke, "Nothing, forget it. Where are we going now?"

Claire looked at her list that she had made. She wanted to get the essentials for living comfortably. Suddenly though, her stomach growled, and she put her hand on it, "To eat. I'm starving"

Peter's eyes hung at her stomach for a few seconds, looking as she rubbed it. Claire frowned, and waved her hand in front of him, but he stayed transfixed on it.

"Peter? Are you ok?…"

His head snapped up at Claire, and he smiled, "Yeah! Um, you want food right? Lets go"

Claire wondered why he had been staring at her stomach with such a poignant expression. She shook it off her mind though and followed him to the car, and into the passengers seat.

Claire went to grab put her seat belt on and accidentally touched Peter's hand. She felt an electric shock go from him to her, and into her veins traveling through her body and into her head. Her head snapped back and she blacked out.

…..

_Claire hit the ground hard, hitting her head against the asphalt. She stood up and rubbed it, looking around. She was at some type of wedding, and could see People walking in. She nearly gasped as she saw herself walking up the stone steps to the church. With out wanting to be seen Claire followed herself to see where she was headed. _

_She frowned as she noticed how visibly fat she looked. She saw as her other self closed her eyes and bumped into Peter._

_"I'm sorry." she heard her self say. _

_Peter shook his head and smiled at her sadly, "I'm sorry"_

_"You look good," the other Claire said._

_Peter smiled sheepishly, "**You** look beautiful"_

_She heard as Angela called her name to walk down the isle, with Jerod. Claire looked as she saw who Jerod was. His face looked familiar, and she couldn't deny that he was really attractive. _

_As the music started playing she felt herself gasp and hit the floor again._

……….

Claire rubbed her head, which lay against her seat.

"Claire are you ok? What happened?" Peter was looking at her frantically up and down. He felt her forehead to check for a fever but she was fine.

Claire didn't frown though, she smiled and looked at Peter, "I remember your wedding"

The fright in Peter's eyes was obvious at that point and Claire frowned sitting up to face him.

"What's wrong Peter? Isn't that good?"

He sat back against his seat and looked ahead, although they were still parked in the furniture store parking lot. The silence was torture, but Claire gave him time to compose his speech.

"What exactly do you remember?"

"Well I was there, but I was there like…as a by standard. I was walking up the stairs and I knocked into you. And I said I was sorry and you shook your head and said you were sorry. Then…I said you looked good, which is weird, and then _you_ said I was _beautiful_"

Claire smiled, and could see a tiny smirk at the corner of Peters mouth start to form. He shrugged his shoulders and licked his lip, without looking at her, "You did look beautiful"

…………………

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

Enough was enough. Peter had helped Claire pick out her mattress, but he swore to himself not to go out with her again. He couldn't afford touching her again and having her remember something else, something more serious.

He looked out the balcony of the party he was at. He'd been invited by Cody, and accepted since his other self hadn't taken over for days. After four or five beers he'd decided that all the blondes at the party resembled Claire, and couldn't help at smile at his luck. He took a sip from his beer, and looked to his side as he felt someone come up next to him.

It was Jamie, the girl he'd found laying next to him in his apartment the morning Claire had arrived in San Diego.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she asked flirtatiously, taking his beer from him and drinking out of it.

Peter eyed her up and down and smiled, it wasn't Claire, but it was good enough.

"Nothing"

She stepped closer to him and breathed against his neck, sending an arousing feeling through out his skin. His mind was clouded and he knew that he must have been shaking a little, but she kissed him none the less. They were soft gentle stimulating kisses on his neck, promising more, making him desire for more of her touch.

In the middle of all the excitement of her touch though someone called his name.

"Yo Pete! Come on man! Hit that thing!"

Peter looked over confused, trying to clear his eyesight. He excused himself from Jamie and walked over to Cody who was holding up a bong. Peter gave a half laugh and shook his head, "I don't smoke pot"

A couple guys around him laughed, "Right…"

He was perplexed, surely he'd never smoked pot before had he? For the exception of 9th grade in high school with his friends. Ever since then he'd never touched it again. Never the less he sat next to Cody and took the bong, it surprised him how natural it felt to hold it, as if he'd done it countless times before. He put his mouth on the opening of it and held it with his left hand as his right hand went towards the bottom to light it up. He sucked in the smoke and held it in for a few seconds before coughing profusely as he let it out. He repeated that a few times, before another guy that was sitting next to him took it.

Feeling more clouded than ever, he stood up, excusing himself and walked over to the bathroom. He tried to open it, but it was busy, and he groaned. After looking around he realized how claustrophobic he felt, the sudden need to get out of the small apartment heightened in him.

He looked around trying to find the door, but all he saw were bodies, and bodies of people. The overcrowded noise started going through his head like nails on a chalk board, and he felt as if it was going to explode. Their thoughts infested his head like tiny spiders crawling all over, and taking control of the mechanism of his brain. At the opposite end of the room he finally found the door and forced himself over.

After much distress, he got through it and onto the cool august night. He looked up at the sky expecting to see the stars, but it was all clouded by the heavy clouds.

"Peter are you ok?" Jamie walked up to him from behind, massaging his back.

He smiled and nodded, "I'm going home"

She cocked her head to one side and smiled, "Can I come?"

The thought of having to share the comfort of his home with her, really didn't please him. He shook his head, and staggered to the side as he did so. She held him by his waist, but struggled, since he was slightly bigger than her. After a few minutes, she kissed him, and he slowly kissed her back.

He continued to kiss her softly, and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I guess you could come over a little"

…………..

His gave an eerie smell of smoke with aftershave as he opened the door to let them both in. it was dark and when he turned on the light, he was happy to see that it was some what presentable.

Jamie immediately took off her shoes, and pulled him in by his shirt closing the door behind them. She pushed him down on the couch roughly, and straddled his lap, moving her hips against his, teasing him, with her entrancing touch. She breathed on his neck slowly tracing a kiss a long the front of his now bare chest.

He swallowed, amazed by her sensual movements. She slowly stood up, and slowly took off her shirt, taken her time to cause Peter to get aroused. She turned around to not face him as she pulled down her pants delicately making sure Peter was watching her every move.

Peter felt himself arouse more than ever, to the point where it was getting painful. Jamie continued to taunt him with her hypnotic moves, until he pulled her in, and down on his lap hard, and kissed her harder than before.

After a couple minutes he pulled both of themselves up and to his bed, undressing himself as fast as he could.

His movements were rough and fast, but the rougher he got, the more Jamie seemed to be pleased. After positioning himself, he thrust into her in fast movements.

"_Claire…_" he groaned.

Jamie looked up from the pleasurable position she was in, and her face hardened.

"Who's that?" she spat, her breath fast and shallow, trying to avoid the carnality he was giving her.

"My-"

Jamie threw Peter to the side and stood up, "Your girlfriend! isn't? uh! Fuck you Peter!" She ran around getting her things, and Peter dropped his head down on his bed sighing. How could Claire's name come out of his lips while having sex? He didn't want to think about her like that.

He stood up, and walked to the kitchen to get something to drink stark naked. He pulled a beer from his refrigerator and chugged it down with a couple swallows. He figured he was already drunk, what could happen by drinking a little more. Though, after two more beers, he fell on his couch reevaluating his theory.

………..

"Peter? Peter…"

Peter opened one eye, but closed it as soon as it hit the light. He groaned as it burned his eyesight and turned over to look away from the bright sunlight coming through his window.

"Peter, honestly, get up"

He opened his eye again to see who was talking to him, and Claire's face materialized in front of him. He gawked at her, and looked down to see that she'd put a blanket over him. He clutched onto it and wrapped it further along his body, sitting up to face her.

"Claire what are you doing here?" as he moved up though, it caused his head to hurt. It felt as if someone had hit it with a sledgehammer. He groaned and fell back down, massaging it.

"Your door was unlocked…Peter god, what happened to you?"

He frowned and rubbed his eyes trying to think of what had happened the previous night,"I don't remember"

Claire giggled, which sent a shiver up Peter's arms. She brushed his hair softly with her hand and sighed, "God Peter, you are so hungover"

He tried to form a smile, but it looked more like a painful grimace than anything. There was a sudden jolt in his stomach, and he knew he was going to throw up. Peter stood up and ran to the bathroom with the blanket wrapped around him still, to the porcelain toilet.

He made it in time to see all the contents of his stomach fall into the water. The taste in his mouth disgusted him even more, causing more vomit to come out of him.

Claire walked into the bathroom, and he laid his face down on the cool bathroom tiled floor, looking at her feet. She was wearing black flip flops, and her toe nails were painted a weird clear color.

"I'm never drinking again," he mumbled, causing Claire to laugh.

"That's what everyone always says"

"I mean it though, I am never drinking ever again"

"If you say so," Claire pulled his arm, so that he was in a sitting position and sat down in front of him smiling.

Peter looked at her shirt. It was a whit tank top that was low enough to expose her chest to the fullest extent. He ripped his eyes from her chest though, and pulled them up to face her, swallowing hoping she hadn't noticed.

"What are you doing here?"

She shrugged, and put a piece of his hair behind his ear, "You hadn't picked up my calls, it's been a week Peter. I need to go grocery shopping, and I don't want to go alone. Plus we have to go to orientation for school"

Peter whimpered, and fell down to the side again.

"I don't want to go out right now Claire, besides, I'm not a freshman, you are, I don't need to go to orientation"

Claire nodded her head, and picked him up by his shoulders again, sitting him up so he could face her, "You do need to go to orientation. This is your first year here isn't? don't you want to know how it all works?"

Peter shook his head, "Not really"

"Well you don't have a choice! You're coming whether you like it or not"

She stood up, pulling both of Peter's hands roughly, so that he was standing. He wasn't balanced though, and fell forward onto Claire pushing her against the wall with his body.

For a second, they stayed in that position and Claire looked into his eyes the same way she had always done before. There was longing and passion in them, and Peter recognized that too well. He looked away and stepped back mumbling, "sorry"

She half smiled, and composed herself, "It's ok"

Peter walked into his room and tried to ignore the thoughts running though his head, of her body. He wondered what it looked like with less clothing on, and wanted to find out. No! he told himself, he didn't want to know at all. The truth was he didn't know how much longer he'd be able to sustain his alter ego from taking over in front of her, and he didn't want to find out. He was going to have to leave again, even if that meant loosing his scholarship to medical school.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry! I know it's taking me forever to update, and that's so not cool, but i've got major writer's block. I'm trying to work on this and another project of mine at the same time, and it's hard to find time to write for both. Plus work, school begnning soon...etc. But i'll definetely try and update sooner. thank you for all the reviews! paire's coming soon, and jerod is too! 


	4. Chapitre Trois

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Trois_

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

It had been exactly three weeks since Claire had left Odessa in that sunny morning, to venture to California. She'd expected to find a warm, friendly smiling Peter that she had met, so long ago. Instead, she'd been faced with a complete stranger; he was selfish, rude, and egotistical in his own private way. The way he looked at her sometimes made her feel as if, he loathed her. Yet the next second she'd see glimpses of the peter she had once known pass through his eyes, as a sheer memory of what he'd once been. Just a shell of himself, nothing more.

"You know usually medical students are supposed to freak out more, but that's if you ask me," Claire was having lunch with Peter during a break from some of their classes. He was sitting down with his head on his hands swirling a straw with a finger in his glass of water. He was looking at it idly, mesmerized as the cubes of ice moved around the water.

His expression was completely blank, as if detached emotionally from the world itself. His lips stood even, no crooked half smile visible at all. Claire had no hint of what he was thinking, and instead sighed, and sat back against her chair, while his silence continued.

"I'm just tired," he mumbled lazily, not bothering to look up at her.

Claire crossed her arms, and then picked up her tray of untouched food, "Ok I'll leave you to rest then"

The sight of her standing up, made Peter react and he sat up, "No, don't leave"

"Well what do you want me to do then? You keep this depressed face all the time that bothers me. I don't know what's wrong with you Peter, and quite frankly, I don't know what to do about it either. So when you decide to tell me what's going on, give me a call"

She turned around and walked away from the table they had been sharing. She dumped her food in the garbage can and walked towards the building of her next class. She hadn't started it yet, and had mixed feelings about how it would go. It was a biology class.

"Claire?"

Claire turned around searching for whoever had called her name, but she didn't see anyone she recognized at all. She sighed and turned back around as she continued to look at her class schedule, English, statistics, political science. As she read down the list of classes she felt someone poke her, and she turned around to see a tall blonde vaguely familiar guy staring back at her.

"Yes? Do I know you?" she asked him curiously.

The guy wrapped his arms around her and twirled her around with a goofy smile on his face, "Claire! It's me! Jerod! I missed you so much!"

It dawned upon Claire that he was the guy she'd seen in the memory of Peter's wedding. He was the one she had walked down the isle with, he was also the person that had called her saying they were dating. Jerod was the guy who had accused her of being pregnant.

"I'm sorry…but I really don't remember you at all…"

Jerod's smile turned into a small frown, "Your dad said you had gotten amnesia, I didn't think it was this bad though"

"I'm really sorry Jerod, but I don't remember anything"

He wrapped one arm around her shoulder and smiled his goofy grin, "Don't worry, I'll help you remember _everything_"

Claire slowly took his arm off her shoulder and she faked a smile, "That's nice of you Jerod"

"You're my girlfriend Claire, I asked you a few days after thanksgiving. On our first day before we started dating though, I took you to eat sushi, and it was raining remember?"

She shook her head, and bit her lip.

"Well we went to this really cool sushi place, and you loved it, then we went to my mom's apartment, and you went to go visit your uncle because he lived in the same building, but I didn't go with you. Then one time I went to eat brunch at your dad's house and I asked you to be my girlfriend and you said yeah. It was really cool, and then we started dating"

Claire raised her eyebrows and nodded her head, as if going on along with his rants. She took a step back from him, and he took a step forward, closing in on the proximity between the both of them.

"Well…what are you doing _here_?" Claire frowned rather curiously.

"I go here silly! It was hard getting in, I had to petition to get accepted, they're really strict on having good grades, but my dad helped me out"

Claire cocked one eyebrow up, "You mean your dad basically paid for you to get admitted?"

Jerod shrugged and took her hand pulling her, "I don't know, what class do you have next"

Claire snatched her hand away from him, scared, he was a total stranger to her, she couldn't just let him hold her hand.

"Biology, Jerod, I feel uncomfortable with you holding my hand. Why don't we take things slow and reacquaint ourselves?"

He pouted but nodded his head agreeing with her, and giving her his goofy smile.

"Ok, I suppose! Do you remember about my _refrigerated trunk_?"

Claire stopped in her tracks, and felt as if her brain had rewound, going back to a cool day in October of the year before.

…………

_"You know if I could invent one thing, it would be a refrigerated trunk"_

_Jerod was walking Claire home from school, and had taken up talking about things he'd invent. _

_Claire just smiled and looked at Jerod, "Why?"_

_He formed a very serious face, "Because I think it's dumb they haven't invented one. Ok let's say you go to the grocery store and you buy ice cream and a lot of cold stuff right? And you put it in your trunk, and you stop someplace else, well your ice cream will melt! That's why I think they should make refrigerated trunks, like in mini vans and stuff"_

_Claire laughed and slowly intertwined her fingers with Jerod's. He turned to look at her and blushed, he was still nervous about touching her. Claire thought it was rather sweet and cute, he was really innocent. _

_His bright blue eyes looked down at hers and Claire felt her heart melt. She didn't realize how much she was starting to fall for him._

_But inside of her there was a greater longing, of love and passion. While she looked at Jerod, and his bright blue eyes, she didn't find it in him. The longing belonged to someone else, what terrified her was that she did not know to whom. _

…………

Claire gasped and looked at Jerod, "I remember that conversation! I remember liking you!"

Something inside her made her jump at him, and hug him, happy to have some type of memory back. When she thought about it, she still didn't remember him exactly, just the feeling of liking him. It didn't matter to her though, all she cared about was that she was slowly gaining her memory back.

"Tell me more, maybe everything will come flooding back?"

Jerod nodded and continued to tell her exactly how they had met, and about Daphne as well. He told her about how Daphne had introduced her to him, and how they had hit it off from there. Though no matter what he told her, nothing else came back to her.

Instead Claire went to her biology class, which by a mere coincident Jerod had too. Through the course of the class Claire tried to pay attention to the professor, but Jerod made that difficult. He kept talking about all the things they'd done together while they had been dating. In the end the professor threw Jerod out for his inability to quiet down. Claire looked at his sad face as he walked out of the class.

The rest of the day was relatively normal for Claire, as Jerod hadn't gone back to greet her. Instead she gathered all over her books and retreated to her car to see Peter leaning against her door holding two cups of iced coffee.

His head slowly moved up and he gave her a small forced have smile, that lifted her spirits somewhat. He blinked for what seemed like ten seconds and opened his eyes handing one cup to her.

"What's gotten in to you?" she asked accepting the cold iced coffee and letting a grin escape her tight lipped mouth.

"I'm not really sure. I saw you talking to a guy…I didn't know you knew anyone here"

Peter got into the driver's side while she hopped over to the passenger's side, as gracefully as possible.

"I don't. It was that Jerod guy from New York that we were talking about. Remember him?"

He had been about to start the engine, and he snapped his head to give Claire a disbelieving look. He placed the key into the ignition and started the car regaining his poise.

"What's he doing here?"

"He goes here. Nathan told him I got accepted so he applied…kind of stalker_ish_ isn't it?"

The car backed out of the parking space they were in and Peter shrugged with indifference, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Well what do you expect? You guys dated for well over two months. If you ask me, I think you were his first girlfriend. He's a really nice guy Claire, he's really…pure hearted. Give him a chance again, maybe some of your memories you want so bad will come back with him?"

Claire's eyebrows beamed up and she gasped, grabbing his arm.

He stopped abruptly, and turned to her, "What's wrong?"

"I did remember something! When he said something about a refrigerated trunk, I got a memory back! It was a conversation we'd had on our way home, after school. We were talking about things he'd invent. I remembered liking him, and having this desire and passion inside of me for something…do you think it was him?"

She sipped her iced coffee through her straw and saw as he gulped and forced a smile, "I'm sure that's it"

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

Peter waved Claire off as she dropped him off in front of his apartment. He turned around and headed towards his door looking down at his feet while he walked, still holding his now melted iced coffee.

Her words stuck with him even as he took out his keys to open his door.

_'I remembered liking him, and having this desire and passion'_

He'd been an idiot and told her it was Jerod, and maybe it was. Peter thought if he could convince himself that Jerod was the one that Claire truly loved, maybe he'd be able to convince her as well, and she wouldn't remember loving him. She was just a teenager anyway, they always had new crushes…right?

He sighed and dropped his books on the floor on his way in as he shut his door with his foot. He took out a cigarette and walked towards his balcony, overlooking the loud salty ocean.

Unlike Cody, he still hadn't gone in and surfed yet, something about the whole idea of being hit by a rock scared him, not that it would have done him much harm, but the idea didn't please him.

Instead he leaned on his rail and enjoyed the view, getting entranced by the waves, occasionally sucking on his cigarette. He could make out Jamie on the shore, lying down on a beach towel tanning. He couldn't help at smile, and for a second thought about going down to talk to her, but the ringing of his phone interrupted his thoughts.

He in a very zombie manner picked up his phone, "Hello?"

"Dude, did you forget about the party? You're missing out dude! It's totally gnarly, and there are some sweet, sweet chicks here", Cody said rather distractedly over the phone.

Peter formed a smile and sucked on his cigarette again while standing against his door frame. It amazed him how Cody just seemed to party all the time. Even on Tuesdays right at noon.

"Ok, I'm on my way"

Cody lived a phrat house close to their school, seeing as their school was a good two miles away, peter opted for flying. Usually he never used his powers anymore, but didn't want to bother driving. As he soared into the sky, he made sure to remain invisible, and landed quite unsteadily in front of the Phrat house, which was already packed. In some way he felt out of place since he was 27 while most of the college kids there were in their early twenties. He shook off the thought though and walked in to an over packed and claustrophobic house.

"Dude over here!" Cody waved both of his arms as he saw Peter walk through the door.

Peter nodded his head slightly and made his way over to find Cody, Cody's friend Brian and some other guys he'd met before gathered around a table with a bong.

"You guys are seriously stoner's" laughed Peter sitting down on an empty seat.

They all looked around at each other simultaneously for a few seconds, then started laughing together. They turned to Peter who was still confused and just shook his head accepting a beer from Cody.

"Dude, come with me, yeah?"

Peter nodded and stood up with Cody, following him through a long hallway down to a room, with some guys already inside it. They all looked over instantly, but noticed it was Peter and Cody. The smiled relieved and Cody closed the door behind them.

As they got closer Peter noticed their was a guy with a tiny measuring stand and white powder on it. He grabbed Cody's arm and instantly pulled him back away from the individuals surrounding the measuring stand.

"What the fuck?"

Cody formed a small frown, and took a swig of his beer, "dude you asked me if you could score some yesterday"

"What is that? Whatever it is, I don't do that," he hissed, his heartbeat rising.

"Coke, and believe me you do, do it. Maybe you should lay off the blow dude, you're going psycho on me. It's kind of freaking me out"

Peter looked over feeling again some type of familiarity he had felt that night when he'd smoked pot with Cody. He was starting to wonder exactly what the other Peter put inside his body while he wasn't conscious.

He thought back to the night when he'd smoked out of the bong, and his other half hadn't appeared for a few days. Maybe if he kept his head clouded and sedated in someway, it was a some type of form of keeping him from reappearing.

In any case his biological abnormalities wouldn't let anything happen to him, he was sure of that. So therefore he saw no harm in experimenting one time. He sighed and looked over at Cody who still had his eyebrows lifted, "Yeah I forgot, I remember now…yeah yesterday"

Against his better judgment he walked forward and sparked up a conversation with the seller.

………………

Peter sat against the wall sliding down to the floor, holding a phone lazily to his ear. He was talking on the phone with an infuriated Angela.

She was going on about his decision to move all the way across the country again. They had been having the same conversation for weeks, and all Peter did now was say mhm, and go along with her frantic.

He held his head which felt slow, and was having trouble keeping up with her quick French. He'd never really taken it on fully and found it really rusty.

"Je ne comprends pas Peter! Pourquoi? Vous vivez très loin!"

Peter grunted and threw his head back in frustration, "Mom! How can you not understand why? I got accepted into medical school, isn't that what you wanted? And you know very well that I can simply fly over there at any moment. I'm not really in tune with my French anymore mother"

"Mensongs! Claire can speak it perfectly, and she was only there for a few months. It's your lack of dedication to it that makes you forget. Speaking of Claire though, I spoke to her today, she feels as if your isolating yourself from her"

At the sudden mention of Claire, he sat up straight, and swallowed, "We don't have the same schedule mom, besides medical school isn't exactly a nice easy major, now is it?"

Angela sighed, "she says you're not yourself Peter. How could my youngest most empathetic son be changing? You know I love you right?"

Peter rubbed his head with one hand and sighed, "Everything's fine mom. I'm 27 now, I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself"

Even as he said that though, he couldn't help at feel some small part of him loosing control, just as he had when he'd started figuring out all his powers.

"I know. Just make time for the child, she is after all your niece, and Nathan's daughter. She feels isolated as well, and we've always presented ourselves as a tight knitted family in front of the press. We don't want to ruin that for your brother now do we? Especially with the buzzing interest in his presidential campaign"

Peter rolled his eyes, and forced himself to stand up from his uncomfortable sitting position, "I know mom, that's the last thing I'd want to do to Nathan. I have to go though, I'll talk to you later, ok? Send my love to everyone"

"Alright honey, bye"

Peter clicked the phone and dropped it on his couch finally being able to breath at ease. He knew his mother, and knew that she was unconvinced with his excuses, but he couldn't tell her exactly what he got onto in the new city he was living in.

He started walking towards his bathroom when the phone went off again, he rolled his eyes, expecting it to be his mom again, "Hello?"

"Peter Petrelli? Hiro! Hiro Nakamura! I found villian!"

Peter stood momentarily shocked in his apartment living room.

"Hiro? How did you get my number?" he asked a little scared as he looked out his windows.

"I find hero can talk to phones! He is young! Peter Petrelli we need you"

He croaked unable to form a response. He had thought he'd left all the here aspirations back in New York. He couldn't think of why he'd want to jump into nostalgic memories.

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

It had been four weeks since the beginning of school, and Claire had kept herself quite busy. Angela had made sure to call her at least every 2 days and always wanted to know the full report of what she was up to.

Claire had explained to her about Jerod's sudden appearance their rekindled friendship. Her grandmother had sounded pleased about that, commenting that he was a very well brought up young man, from a good background.

"Are we still on for the Harry Potter marathon?" asked Jerod biting into his three layered sandwich from subway.

Claire laughed, "Yes, you Potter freak…I don't see the interest in the series. I mean it's…about magic"

Jerod looked taken aback and very hurt by her remark, "Oh! But it's so much more than that! It's about defeating evil, about love, friendship! Family! The list is endless! Its not just about _magic_. You will love it! I promise!"

She sighed and sipped her lemonade, "can't we just watch the movies though? Wouldn't it be easier?"

Jerod shook his own head, "No the movies don't go nearly into detail as the books do, the books enchant you! I'll read to you don't worry"

The way that Jerod spoke with so much passion amused Claire. Yet it wasn't the passion that she had remembered feeling in her memory of him. The passion he presented to her now was different, more childlike.

Ever since that day she'd been trying to remember more, but all she got were snippets of small conversations they had, had. None of them gave her clues to anything else. She asked peter about more memories they shared, too, but he seemed to be avoiding her as of late.

"Claire", Jerod was not looking at her, rather the sandwich that was in his hand, contemplative, "I think it's time we talk about our baby"

Claire nearly chocked on a piece of bread in her mouth as he said that. She drank some of her lemonade and looked up at him, "Jerod I thought you were kidding about that?"

"Oh no! Never! that was a quite serious matter. We were both really excited about it"

Panic struck inside Claire's chest and she kept taking small bites of her own sandwich. Avoiding to look up at Jerod, and wonder how she had ever let herself fall into that position, while in high school.

"What happened to it Claire? Did you loose it? Did you have it, and give it away and don't remember? Where is our baby?"

He seemed rather hurt than anything else. His voice was soft yet yearning to know anything about the disappearing baby.

Claire shrugged, "I don't know Jerod. I don't remember ever being pregnant, I must have lost it right before I went back home I suppose?"

"When did you go home?"

She frowned in concentration and sighed, "from what I can gather, the evening of Peter's wedding…wait…I remember something about the wedding! I remember being fat, I had a small stomach. Once I was home though, later that evening, I was me again"

Jerod sunk back into his seat, sipping his coke in confusion and scratching his head.

"See…that just doesn't make any sense"

Claire blushed a little, and bit her lip before asking Jerod her next question, "How was my first time anyway? I mean…how did we do it?"

Jerod frowned, "What do you mean?"

Claire rolled her eyes at the boy's stupidity, sometimes he was just completely clueless. What else could she mean? Other than doing the deed.

"When we had sex Jerod"

His face lifted surprised, "Oh! We never had sex"

Jerod kept a dreamy smile on his face, while hers contorted into a confused frown, "What do you mean we never had sex? How do you suppose I got pregnant then? It takes two to get the job done"

Jerod raised his arms and shrugged, "You never told me who got you pregnant, but I told you I'd take responsibility for it. All you told me was that he left you"

Claire crossed her arms, "Is this some type of cruel joke that you're playing on me? Because if it is, it's pretty sick"

"I would never do that Claire. You wanted to know about your past with me right? Well I'm telling you everything I know…oh your family didn't know you were pregnant. I wanted to tell them personally, but you never let me…you said something about it being bad?"

A smile reappeared on her face and she rolled her eyes at him, "We were both seventeen, I can imagine why I said that", another thought entered Claire's mind though, "Jerod…was I close to my Peter?"

He shook his head, while he chewed on more of his food. He swallowed it all, "No not really, I don't think you liked him much. You were always rolling your eyes at him during brunch"

A small bubble of hope that had been inside Claire popped, deteriorating any thoughts of them being closer than they were now.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm so sorry for taking so long to post the next chapter! I have some good news though, my writer's block seems to slowly be going away! And I've started writing chapter 4 as we speak! Has anyone gotten the new Harry Potter book? I just finished it! i thought it was good, but an unexpected ending...As for the reason of not posting sooner, I've been really sick. I have throat problems, and get sick from that at least five times a year. So my mom decided I'm going to get my tonsils( is that the right word? english isn't my first language!) removed. I wanted to write while I was sick, but i just couldn't bring myself to get on to the laptop. Again, thank your for all your reviews! They really encouraged my writer's block to fade away. It's going to be quick updates from here on again! I hope... I can't thank all of you enough for all the ideas, which i'm contemplating over to use. Now that Claire's getting her memories back though, what do you think will happen? how will she react towards both boys? Please review!! 

**♥ **Ari


	5. Chapitre Quatre

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Quatre_

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

Another month had passed, and Peter had completely forgotten about his promise to himself to leave California and the disturbing phone call he'd gotten from Hiro. He'd figured out though, if he tried to, he could completely avoid Claire. Which was exactly what he'd been doing. If she'd spot him, he'd turn invisible, and walk in the opposite direction.

It had been funny to see Claire frown as he disappeared, leaving her completely puzzled. He knew he wouldn't be able to do that all the time though, she'd start noticing sooner or later that he was actually indeed avoiding her. After all she knew that he could turn invisible and that would help her realize what he was doing.

"Hey stranger"

Peter was sitting down on a bench outside his classroom, when Jamie came up behind him. He looked up to see that her long blonde hair had turned a rich chocolate brown color.

"What's up?" he asked looking up from his medical terminology text book, "I didn't know you went here"

She sat down next to him, and put her bag on her lap, hiding her bare legs, "Yes, I'm a senior, majoring in computer science, how about you?"

"Medicine"

Jamie raised her eyebrows as if impressed and smiled, "What are you specializing in?"

"I'm thinking I might go for Oncology. When I was a nurse I specialized in hospice, so I thought a move to Oncology might be the right step."

She slid her hand to his leg and smiled, "You are so sweet Peter. I wanted to apologize for leaving abruptly the other night. I completely overreacted, I should have figured someone as handsome as you had a girlfriend"

Her blue eyes pierced his own with passion in them, just as they always did.

Peter couldn't help at smile, "I don't have a girlfriend, and I'm sorry"

Jamie's smile widened, and her hand slowly stroked his leg further more. It was unbelievable to him how she could excite him with the simplest of touch. He looked down at her hand, but when he looked back up it wasn't her, it was Claire.

Peter jumped up from where he had been sitting and away from her, after a few seconds Jamie's face had appeared again.

She frowned up at him and stood up, "Are you ok?"

His hand reached for his books, which were next to her, but she touched his hand, making him shake again.

"Yes, I'm fine, " he said a little too quickly. He managed to get his things, step a couple steps back from her, his breathing increasing.

"Are you sure? You seem like you saw a ghost"

Peter nodded his head profusely and smiled, even though he knew it was unconvincing.

"I'm sure…I have to-my class is going to start, I have to go"

Without giving her time to respond or say bye, he turned and walked off. He wanted to go and hide somewhere to try and understand why he'd just seen Claire instead of Jamie's face, but there was no justifiable explanation. He kept walking without thinking about where he was going, and turned the corner to go down a different block of classrooms. As Peter turned the corner though, he ran straight into someone who had been walking straight into his direction.

The hit was electrifying and sent all of Peter's books onto the ground. He looked over to see that he'd run into a blonde girl that was now also on the ground. He immediately bent down and took her hand, "I'm so sorry"

The girls hair had flown in front of her face, hiding her face. Slowly though she pushed it all back revealing herself.

Peter looked straight into her face and nearly fell himself, "Claire…Claire, I'm sorry"

There was incomprehension on her face for a few seconds that Peter couldn't decipher, but she composed herself and smiled up at him, "Its ok, I'm glad I finally caught up with you anyway. I need to talk to you"

Peter swallowed, afraid of what she had to talk to him about. He nodded and bent down to help her pick up her books, then started walking along with her.

They found an empty table with and umbrella, and sat down. Claire seemed jittery and unlike usual happy self. It bothered Peter that what she had to talk to him about could bother her that much. Had she finally remembered everything? Did she hate him now?

"Peter I've been talking to Jerod…"

Here it came, he knew that she was going to tell him everything.

"…And, I think I was a horrible Person!"

That hadn't been what he'd been prepared for at all. He looked over at her surprised as she started to silently cry into her hands, hiding her tear stained face.

"What are you talking about Claire?" his hand had made its way to her back, and had started stroking it slowly.

Claire inhaled and exhaled deeply trying to control herself before continuing, "Oh Peter, if you only knew what I was like! Jerod said I didn't like you! He said I use to get annoyed with you at these…brunches with your family", she looked up at his face her face glistening with tears, "How could I have not liked you? You're so good!"

Peter couldn't help himself, he laughed, and wiped away her tears, "We got along just fine Claire, and you were a good person, you were never bad"

"No he said I'd always roll my eyes at you, tell me why! Why don't you want me to know anything of my past Peter?"

He sighed, telling her about his other half couldn't hurt right? There was no harm in knowing that he had an evil alter ego that took over his body sometimes.

"I have an alter ego Claire. He use to come out sometimes during brunch. That's why you use to roll your eyes at me, because my alter ego is kind of…egotistical," he gave a dry laugh, "But you are a good person, _you_ never did anything bad"

She shook her head and shut her eyes before continuing, "I cheated on Jerod while we were dating Peter and-and I can't even tell you the rest, it's so horrible. I don't think I even liked Jerod! I mean ok maybe I liked him, but I didn't love him, but I remember feeling this passion for someone, like love, but it isn't him! How awful is that? Feeling this aching love for someone you don't even remember?"

He felt his heart stop at that moment, she remembered loving him? He didn't understand how, the Haitian had taken all her memories of that year away. Why did she remember that?

His breath had gotten lighter, and he trembled as he asked her, "What…what do you mean?"

"I'm in love and I don't know with who"

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

"I'm sure that what you're feeling is about Jerod." Peter continued to wipe Claire's tears. His eyes were filled with intensity and sadness at the same time. As he told her that, Claire felt as if he was trying to convince himself more than her.

"No Peter, I thought so to, but…its not the same. I like Jerod, but I know I don't love him. I'm in love with someone I don't even remember. Tell me who it is Peter, you have to know!"

Peter opened his mouth, words didn't come out though, just a slow croak.

Claire stood up and crossed her arms, staring him down, "See! You know something Peter, tell me who it is! You don't know how important it is I know!"

Students that were passing around them started staring at them, "Claire there's people staring," he whispered.

"I don't care! I won't calm down until you tell me what you know"

Peter stood up and put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her down to sit back next to him. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to compose the words to tell her. She wanted to scream at him again for making her wait and wonder what was so important that he couldn't tell her. The worried look on his face gave away that he knew who she loved, and his inability to share that information with her infuriated her.

"Claire, it's Jerod, ok? But since you're missing so much of your memory, you don't remember him being the person you love"

The silence that followed was agony, they both knew he was lying, but Claire understood she wouldn't get anything else out of him.

Defeated, Claire stood up and smiled sadly at him, "You're probably right, I'll probably realize it later on right?"

Peter nodded, and stood up opening his arms, and taking her into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, and she couldn't help at feel her stomach flop having him so close to her.

"I care about you Claire, more than you could possibly know"

The words suddenly triggered something inside of her head, she closed her eyes to see a screen, and tiny clips in front of her playing. All her memories came flooding back into her like a big wave. It filled her head with months of memories and thoughts she had thought were lost. Everything from her departure to Paris, to the last day being at Peter's wedding was back.

The memory of the Haitian taking her memories away angered her. She had the sudden urge to slap Peter, the reason why she couldn't remember anything was his fault, but she sustained herself. She was going to use her newly gained knowledge for her advantage.

Peter let go of their embrace, and she forced a smile, through all her anger. She now understood why he'd been so distant from her, and always gave her sad smiles.

"You're right, it has to be Jerod who I love," she hadn't meant for her words to come out so sharply.

For a couple seconds his eyebrows furrowed as if her comment had wounded him, but he regained his composure. His eyes looked like they glistened for a moment, but he looked away picking up his books, "I should get going, I'm late for…a class"

Claire crossed her arms and watched him shakily collecting his things.

_'He's so hot'_

She knew he could hear her thoughts, and as she turned away to walk away she left him with that. Teasing him, wondering how long he could hold out listening to all her thoughts.

After she'd turned the corner and had made it into the girls' bathroom and locked it behind her panting. Claire turned her head to see a brunette in front of her.

"Are you ok?" asked the brunette holding her books and frowning at Claire.

She put a strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled nervously stepping away from the door, "Yes, sorry-um…you probably want to get out"

"Hey aren't you Peter's cousin?" The brunette looked quizzically at Claire.

"Actually I'm his niece, Claire. You are?…."

For a moment the brunette's frown furrowed even more, making her look aghast. She took a step away from Claire, but extended her hand for her to shake it.

"I'm Jamie. Now that I think about it Peter's mentioned you before. It's funny I didn't know he was talking about his niece the way he mentioned you…"

"What do you mean, precisely?"

Jamie smiled showing her bright veneers, "Oh it's nothing. It was nice to meet you Claire, we should all get together sometime"

Claire nodded agreeing with what Jamie said, but not sure if she liked her. She wanted to know what Peter had said about her to Jamie. What she didn't understand is why he'd talk about her to a stranger to begin with. It wasn't like Peter to go ranting off to someone about Claire. Especially not now that she remembered all the events that had happened between the both of them.

She turned to look at the mirror, she'd gained the weight that she'd lost in Manhattan. Claire was her old self again, and she had Jerod. This time she'd get what she wanted from Peter, and he wouldn't see it coming. He'd promised her a kiss, and she was going to get it, but not before playing with him first.

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

"What do you mean you met my niece?" asked Peter petting Jamie's hair as he lay next to her in bed. It was in the late afternoon of Sunday.

They had both met at another of Cody's parties and had decided to go back to Peter's apartment. They'd been there since Saturday, in bed all day. There wasn't much to do since all of their friends were hung over from the previous night.

Jamie turned over to look at Peter from beneath him, so that he was laying on top of her. The only thing separating them was a thin sheet on top of her.

"At school, I saw her in the girls bathroom. I remember meeting her that one morning when I first spent the night. Her name's Claire right? I thought that was really interesting…considering the fact that you said her name while we were having sex last time…"

Peter's heart stopped for a second trying to come up with a viable explanation. She locked her eyes on his awaiting his response, and in those eyes he saw the amusement that his nervousness brought her.

"I did say Claire, but it wasn't for her obviously. I was seeing a girl named Claire during that time, but it wasn't my niece…that's just wrong"

Jamie smiled and propped herself on her elbows to kiss him, "Good, it was freaking me out"

He kissed her back softly, easing her back down on to the pillows. He steadied himself with one hand, and held her face with the other one, kissing her feverishly. While kissing her was enjoyable, he couldn't help at feel nothing. There was no connection or spark between them. It was just for pleasure that he kept seeing her, there wasn't any meaningful link between them at all.

And when he closed his eyes, and felt her lips, he imagined Claire beneath him, kissing him back. He didn't know what her sensual kisses felt like, but he imagined them to be full of ardor and affection.

Peter thought back to the moment they had almost kissed on top of the statue of liberty. For a second he had decided to let her kiss him, but he hadn't let himself go through with it. The moment he had felt her breath, the image of Nathan had materialized in front of him, hindering him from being able to give her the kiss she longed for.

He couldn't imagine what Nathan or his mom would say about the tainted thoughts that ran through his head everyday over Claire. Peter had come to terms that there would never be anything between them, and he understood that. At times though, he felt envious of his other half, who knew what touching her felt like. He knew what her kisses were like, his other half knew what it was like to feel her touch him with passion.

His thoughts went back to Jamie who had now made her way on top of him, turning them over completely. He hadn't realized when she had actually done it, he'd been too caught up in his own world to pay much attention to her.

Jamie's hips had straddled him, but after a few seconds she looked up ad him, and put on hand on her hip.

"What's your problem?"

His smile slowly turned into a frown, "What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes and pointed her eyes down, "You're as limp as a fish"

He shrugged and sat up against his bed post, making her get off him, "I'm just not in the mood I guess"

"You're always in the mood! _I'm_ in the mood"

Peter gave her a half smirk and reached for his box of cigarettes on his bedside table. He sat up grabbing his boxers which were laying on the floor next to his bed and slipped into them.

"You're going to go smoke? That's your answer?"

"Well what else is there to do?"

Jamie looked awestruck and batted her eyes lashes, "Fuck"

Peter laughed, "I've never met anyone who's into sex as much as you"

She bit her lip, "Well I'm going to therapy for it, but it's not working. Come on Peter, help me out"

He was about to light his cigarette but had been shocked by her abrupt confession. He looked at her, she was on his bed stark naked and sitting on her knees, looking up at him with a pleading face, "You know that actually explains a lot"

"What?"

When he was about to answer back, he heard some laughing coming from outside. He walked over to his veranda and looked down to the beach to see a petite blonde being chased by a taller blonde guy. He focused his eyesight and realized it was Claire running away from Jerod.

He could tell by the way they were laughing that they were merely playing around. To see them both happy and smiling formed jealousy inside of him. It should have been him who was chasing Claire around, not Jerod.

Jamie startled him by coming up behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso, and laying her head on his back.

"What are you looking at?"

"Claire's down at the beach with her boyfriend" he said in a monotone expression.

"Really? That's great! let's go down with them!"

Peter was about to say no, but then stopped. He thought about it for a second, as her uncle he was suppose to look after her, and in a way that meant from guys too. In a way it was almost his job to go down and look after her. He decided that would be his first step to building a proper family relationship with her.

"Ok"

_………………_

Peter and Jamie had successfully made their way down to the shore fifteen minutes later. At which point, Claire and Jerod were building a sand castle.

He took not of her two piece bikini. It was black and the top was sleeveless, it was a wonder to him how it maintained itself up. He couldn't help at swallow as they walked up to them.

"Hi!" said Jamie excitedly, while holding Peter's hand.

"Mr. Petrelli! It's so good to see you!" Jerod had stood up and was shaking Peter's hand. Jamie looked over in amusement and confused as to why he was calling Peter Mr. Petrelli.

Jamie opened her mouth to ask but was cut off by someone behind them also calling Peter's name.

"Peter Petrelli! I find you!" a thick Japanese accent was clearly audible.

Peter turned around to face Hiro Nakamura. He like the first time he had met him, had his samuri sword around his shoulder. Unlike the future Hiro that Peter had met first, this one seemed to be jolly and smiling, even though he seemed out of breath and was frowning.

"Hiro…how did you find me?"

For a few seconds he seemed at a loss for words, but someone materialized next to him.

"Me", Peter's glance moved towards a taller dark haired man standing next to him…Sylar.

* * *

Author's Note: finally the next chapter! i hope you guys like it. i wanted to say thank you for all of you who keep reviewing it helps my writing. i'll try to update more often, especially since we're nearing the season premiemer.

Ari


	6. Chapitre Cinq

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Cinq_

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

It seemed like an eternity before anyone said anything. Peter instinctively moved in front of Claire, blocking her from Sylar. It was beyond Peter's understanding as to why Hiro had brought Sylar to him, the very person that wanted him dead.

"It's ok Peter Petrelli! This is Sylar from the future. He is good man!" Nodded Hiro moving his glasses up his nose.

"That makes me feel much better", Peter spat sarcastically, "Hiro it's Sylar! It doesn't matter what decade he's from!"

"In the future there is no one to kill"

Peter frowned confused as he turned his gaze once more to Sylar, "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry for all the damage I caused but I change in the future"

Peter rolled his eyes, "regardless of whether you change in the future, you're still a threat to us now"

Electric balls started forming in the palms of Peter, making Jamie faint next to him at everything that was happening.

Hiro waved at Peter and smiled, "Mr. Petrelli we come back later! Ok? We go talk to other Sylar!"

Without any notice, Hiro and the future Sylar had vanished. Leaving Peter, Claire, a confused Jerod, and a passed out Jamie. Peter immediately picked up Jamie without turning to look at Claire. He didn't care about explaining anything to Jerod as to what had just happened.

_'Don't leave you idiot'_

Peter stopped as he heard Claire. He turned around and frowned at her, "What?"

She looked over at Jerod then at him frowning back in confusion as well, "What, what?"

"Didn't you just say something?" He asked, becoming aware of how heavy Jamie was getting.

Jerod and Claire both shook their heads at the same time, making Peter sigh.

_'I can't believe you like that hoe, she's so ugly'_

"I should get her back, I'll talk to you later Claire," Peter didn't bother looking back at her, but turned around to turn his gaze at his apartment complex.

He started wondering if Claire remembered that he could read her mind. She had never been warm to the idea of him dating any girl. The way she had talked about Jamie in her thoughts had been with jealousy.

As he walked up the stairs to his apartment, he couldn't help let a small smirk form. Although it disgusted him, at the same time, he was happy that she might be jealous.

Once he had gotten Jamie on his couch, he sat next to her and put his hands on her temples. After meeting the Haitian, it hadn't occurred to him that he had absorbed his powers as well. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind jumping into Jamie's instead. He took out the incident that had happened outside and had made her forget they had left the apartment in the first place.

With in a few seconds she was awake and smiling up at Peter as if nothing had happened at all.

She sat up and rubbed her head for a few seconds, "what happened?"

"You fell out of bed and bumped your head. What's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember waking up and…that's all"

Jamie looked down at her bathing suit and laughed, amused, "How did I change?"

"You wanted to go down to the beach and hang out with my niece and her…friend"

She frowned and stood up, not taking her eyes off Peter. He slowly stood up too, nervously, afraid that she might remember something that had happened down at the cove. For a few seconds she didn't say anything and neither did he.

"Isn't her name Claire?"

Peter couldn't help but let out a small laugh of relief as she said that, and went in to kiss her lips softly.

"Yes, but don't say her name right now", he attentively pushed her body back until she hit the end of his bed.

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

Claire sat on the sand with her gaze up at Peter's sliding door. He'd read her mind when she'd called him an idiot, it had been accidental, but they had both played it off really well. Now all she had to do was explain the whole situation to a very confused Jerod. It was already bad enough that he was a tad on the clueless side. Having to explain to him that she had a genetic disorder was going to be mind boggling for him.

"Claire what's going on?" he asked, just as she thought he would.

She sighed and turned over to give him a sad sweet smile, "Are you sure you want to know Jerod?"

He nodded hesitantly like a little boy.

"Well let's start off with something easy, I got my memory back", she smiled widely, exposing her teeth in full. Jerod returned the smile and hugged her, by holding her up from her waist and twirling her. He kissed her as she came down and couldn't keep his arms off her.

"Ok that's great! Now where's our baby?" within five seconds Jerod had become completely serious.

Claire felt tears threatening to fall from her eyes. As they got misty. She took a deep breath and sat them both down on the soft warm sand.

"Jerod…it died"

His forehead tightened and his mouth opened in a small awe, "But…how? When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-I can't tell you how…it just did ok? Jerod, you saw what happened a while ago, there's a whole part of me that you don't know. I'm not a normal girl"

Jerod took her hand, "I know you're different. That doesn't stop me from liking you, whatever it is, I know we can work through it. I like you a lot Claire, and I don't want to loose you again"

Everything that Jerod said was sweet, and she liked it. In the back of her mind though, she couldn't help at think that she would much rather be hearing those words from Peter instead of Jerod. What amazed her more than anything was the fact that no matter how furious and how much hate she had for Peter, she couldn't stay mad. Part of her wanted to run up to his door and jump into his arms and finally get the kissed he had promised to give her.

She looked over at Jerod and gave him a small mischievous grin. For now she might not be able to have Peter, but she knew that in the end she'd get him, and his luscious lips that would soon be upon hers. And this time it wouldn't be his other half, no…it would be Peter himself who gave her that kiss.

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

Peter stood in front of Claire's door. She had invited him and Jamie over for a dinner with her and Jerod. The only thing was that she had planned it on a day that Jamie had abruptly had gotten an urgent call from her mom and had to leave San Diego to go to Santa Barbara.

He was nervous because he knew he'd have to endure seeing her with Jerod, and their closeness. He'd noticed that they had somewhat rekindled their romance at the beach. It didn't surprise him, but it didn't make him happy either. He knew it should have, because they had a balance, but he was envious of Jerod.

After gathering enough courage he rang the bell, hoping Jerod wouldn't be the one to open the door for him. He heard light footsteps getting closer to the door and he took a huge breath expecting Jerod.

As the door opened though he was surprised to find Claire staring at him with a small smile, "Hi, where's Jamie?"

Peter followed Claire inside and closed the door behind him slowly, to find the living room lightly lit by candlelight. He swallowed, and looked up at Claire, at what she was wearing.

She was wearing an extremely short dress. In fact he wasn't even sure it was a dress. Either way he couldn't deny the fact that it completed her curves just perfectly.

"Um…she had a family emergency…where's Jerod?"

She bent down slowly to get a napkin that had fallen from the table, "He got sick at the last minute. He actually just called about five minutes ago"

Peter forced his eyes to look elsewhere, they landed on the roof, "Pity. I was really looking forward to…uh…talking with him"

Claire stood back up, "I bet"

Peter looked at the table, "So…what are we eating?"

Claire sighed, "well I was cooking pasta…but I accidentally overcooked it. So it looks like all we have is an appetizer and dessert"

"That's ok, what are they?"

"Oysters first and then, white chocolate covered strawberries"

Peter swallowed at took a small step back, "wow…are you sure Jerod isn't coming?

She nodded, "It's just us two. Sit down, I'll be right back"

Just as he had been told, he sat down on a couch. He could faintly smell the oysters that were in the kitchen. In his hand he held a bottle of wine that Claire had specifically asked him to drink. Part of him found the whole night a tad bit suspicious, but then he remembered that Claire had no recollection of liking him. Therefore that meant that there was no way she could have planned it, it was all just a big coincidence.

Claire's stiletto's clanked on the tile floor as she made her way back to where Peter was sitting. Her legs looked longer in the heels she had put on. Peter was having a difficult time pulling his eyes away from her almost bare body. None of it seemed to faze Claire though, she had a small smile as if everything was perfectly normal.

"Shall we eat?" her voice was soft yet cheery.

"Uh…yes-eat-lets" Peter scratched the back of his neck nervously.

She extended her hand to him and pulled him up from his sitting position, they walked to the dinning table and sat down.

Peter was surprised at how delicious the oysters looked. He then remembered the bottle in his hand, and abruptly handed it to Claire.

"Here, I forgot to give you this. You asked me to bring it, remember?"

"Oh yeah, thanks. Well I guess its just for the both of us tonight"

There was something in her smirk that made Peter nervous, as if there was something she knew that he didn't. The way that her gaze stayed upon his and lingered for a few seconds before looking away was unsettling.

"Are we celebrating something?" he asked curiously.

"Oh yes"

"…what?" Peter was completely lost.

Claire stood up slowly, and turned away from the table moving her curves in a hypnotic way which Peter couldn't look away from. She grabbed two wine glasses and served them both wine before sitting back down across from Peter.

"That we're ok…that we got away from Sylar…and…that you're here"

Her whole behavior was scaring Peter and he found no other choice but to slither inside her mind and go through her thoughts.

_'don't you know that I'm toxic…'_

He scratched his forehead confused that while she was looking straight at him, she was just singing a song inside her head.

Peter drank his full glass of wine and served himself some more to calm his nerves. He didn't want to say or do anything to hint Claire of their past, even though he sensed that she could feel it somehow.

"did you know that oysters are an aphrodisiac?" Claire asked peter as she slipped one inside her mouth.

He did know, but he hadn't thought that she herself had known that. Peter swallowed his oyster and cleared his throat, "Really? I-I didn't know that"

His heartbeat slowly started rising and Peter could feel what was coming on, and it wasn't good. With in seconds he was out and his other half was in.

…………………

_The Next Morning_

"Peter…Peter? Peter!" Claire's voice echoed inside his head, causing excruciating pain. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that she was sitting next to him in very short shorts with an almost see through wife beater on. He looked down at his own attire…which was none. The only thing covering him was a thin bed sheet, over his lap.

Peter yawned and wrapped the sheet tightly around himself, "Why do I always seem to be caught in this situation?"

Claire giggled, "I think you like to sleep naked, maybe you have an _alter ego_ who likes to run around naked?"

He knew she had meant it as a joke, but the way she had said alter ego scared him.

Careful that the blanket didn't fall off to reveal anything, Peter stood up ,and rubbed his head.

"What happened last night?"

"I think you drank a bit too much"

Peter snickered, "Yeah…that always seems to happen lately too"

"I'm going to make some coffee, do you want some?" Claire asked standing up from the bed too.

"Sure"

After Claire had left, Peter made his way to her bathroom to take a quick shower before going back outside.

The warm water felt nice against his cold skin. He tried thinking back to the previous night but all that he could remember was sitting at the table eating oysters. He knew that his other half had taken over after that, and wondered what he'd done. All he hoped was that he hadn't done something stupid, and helped Claire remember something.

He finished showering and made his way to the kitchen, where Claire was leaning over getting something from a lower cabinet. Her shorts rose up even more and her butt was almost visible.

Peter forced himself to look up and clear his throat. She looked back up and smiled, "You look better…did the shower help?"

"Yeah…Claire? Why do you wear such provocative clothes?" he asked straight out.

Claire handed Peter his coffee and sat next to him on a high stool.

"Does it bother you?"

He sipped his coffee and nodded his head slightly.

"Well tough luck. What do you expect me to wear? Granny clothes?"

Her comment made him laugh and spill coffee down his white button up shirt. He jerked up as he felt it burn his skin, then instantly heal.

"Take it off so we can wash it," Claire started pulling it up Peter's arms.

"Thanks" mumbled Peter. An idea suddenly came to him, "you know…this sort of reminds me of the time you got wet in the rain and had to wash your clothes at my apartment in New York"

Claire laughed, "Oh yeah! I remember that"

Without realizing it Claire had just admitted to having her memory back. After a few seconds she realized what she'd just done and took her hands off of Peter's shirt.

"When were you planning on telling me that you remembered everything?"

She didn't say anything but stayed silent looking straight into his hazel eyes.

"Answer me Claire. When were you going to tell me?"

"I wasn't. I hate you! How could you let the Haitian take all of my memories away like that?"

"It was for your own good!"

"No! It was for _your_ own good. You didn't want to have any problems with me, did you? You never planned on giving me my kiss, you were just going to let me lead my life, as if nothing had ever happened between us!"

Peter grabbed Claire's wrists and held her, "Nothing did happen Between us Claire! That wasn't me! How many times am I going to have to remind you?"

Claire forced herself free from his grip and backed away from him, "So you call me being pregnant with _your_ baby nothing? I hate you. Get out"

He was taken aback at first, but after a few moments, the shock wore off. He grabbed his shirt that he had taken off and walked out her door without saying another word to her.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update! Things are really hectic right now, especially since school just started! I'll try to make the next update sooner. I'm sorry the chapter is so short too! please review!

-Ari


	7. Chapitre Six

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Six_

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

As soon as the door had shut Claire burst into tears. She hadn't thought that Peter would actually leave. She'd hoped that small part of him would have cared and refused to leave. Claire walked to the door and looked out the peephole to see if he had walked away, but he was looking directly back at her.

The look on his face was somewhat of hurt and anger at the same time. She saw him extend his hand and rest it on the door. Claire's heartbeat raced knowing he wished he was inside again.

A peculiar feeling went across her stomach though and she looked down to see that his hand had somehow penetrated through the door and he was carefully pulling her towards him. She was afraid she'd hit the door but instead somehow she felt as if her skin was slithering through the door until she was standing directly in front of him.

For a few seconds they were both silent and didn't know what to say. All Claire could look at though was Peter's face, it completely entranced her and enabled her from saying anything to him. She knew that being able to get through walls was probably another power that he had picked up from someone else.

Peter slowly raised his hand to Claire's cheek and held it there half smiling and looking at her with complete desire in his eyes.

_'kiss me'_ she begged mentally knowing he was reading her thoughts.

He opened his mouth to object, but nothing came out. Instead his lips met her cheek and he kissed her softly, repeatedly. every time though he made his lips slightly closer to her own until he was right beside them. He stayed there contemplating whether or not to kiss her on her lips, but he knew there was no backing out anymore.

She closed her eyes and felt as his lips brushed hers and stayed there, lingering in the moment. She didn't care that they were both outside in the public, all that she cared about was that she was finally getting her kiss.

His hands slowly roamed towards her hips and he wrapped his arms around her backing her into the door so that they went through to the other side, inside her apartment.

Claire felt Peter push her against the wall softly keeping their lips together. Butterflies erupted in her stomach by feeling his touch.

"I love you Claire" Peter's voice was barely audible; as if afraid someone else might hear them.

Although she still had her eyes closed, she could feel him staring at her.

She pushed her lips on to his again and pulled at his tie, bringing him closer to her. His grip on her hips tightened increasing the intensity of the moment

Peter freed one hand letting it slid down her dress and slowly raising it up. Claire felt her heartbeat fasten, excited knowing where it was all going to lead.

In the middle of all the excitement though, Claire's phone started ringing. They both paused momentarily, and looked over at it, as if it had somehow pushed them back into reality, making them aware of what they were doing.

Claire looked up at Peter and brushed her lips against his cheek, making him turn towards her and smile. She felt him kiss her neck and plant kisses down it, towards her chest.

They let the phone ring until the answering machine picked it up.

"Claire! It's Heidi, how are you doing honey? I was hoping to catch you but you must be out. Anyway I was just calling to make sure you received the plane ticket to visit us for thanksgiving. We have huge news for you when you get out here! Call me back"

Peter stood up straight and looked down at Claire, "You're going for thanksgiving too?"

Claire bit her lip and nodded, "Yes, I didn't know you were going though"

They pulled apart from each other as if Heidi had somehow sucked the desire out of them in the message, and filling them both with guilt.

Claire leaned against the couch and took off her heels, "What do you think their news is?"

It surprised Claire that Peter batted his eyelashes and laughed, "You don't know?"

"No…that's why I just asked you…"

"Heidi's pregnant"

For a slight second Claire felt her stomach drop at the word, but caught her thought before it crossed her mind. Knowing that peter was watching her intently, she slowly turned around to pick up the phone.

"What are you doing?" Peter asked with panic in his voice.

" Calling Heidi…"

Peter telekinetically pulled the phone towards him, surprising Claire. She stood confused, with her hand midair.

"Why did you do that?"

With a blink of an eye he was now standing in front of her, with a completely serious face. Claire closed her eyes and felt him kiss her again. Every single touch sent a chilling sensation through her body that intensified with every movement of his skin.

With a squint Peter turned on her stereo to the perfect song, Change by Deftones. She felt the wall against her and Peter pinning her against it while he kissed her.

Her eyes were closed, but she could tell Peter had turned off the lights and had wrapped his arms around her leading her back to her room.

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

"So then Me and Michelle went shopping and I bought like this dress"

Peter was staring at Claire, as Jamie spoke to him about her fascinating day at the mall. The truth was though, that he wasn't really paying attention to her story. Claire had his attention in full. It didn't matter at all that she was sitting 20 feet away from him, or having a conversation with Jerod.

His mind kept going over their last encounter at her apartment. That had been more than two weeks ago, yet he could remember it as if it had just happened the night before. He remembered everything vividly, and couldn't help at let a grin form as he thought about it. Of course he felt guilty and horrible about the whole ordeal, but at the same time, he couldn't believe he'd finally kissed her. He had been waiting for that moment for such a long time that, quite frankly he'd been nervous about it.

For a second he saw her glance at him and turn away shyly, which made his stomach fill with butterflies.

"Peter are you listening to my story?" Jamie crossed her arms frowning at Peter.

"What?" he snapped out of his dream world with Claire in it, and turned to look at Jamie, "Oh sorry, yes…you were at the mall, and…and continue"

"Ok so then-"

Peter turned his attention back to Claire and noticed she was kissing Jerod. His hands couldn't help at get hot, and glow. In front of him Jamie noticed and her eyes stretched.

He sighed and went deep into her mind, erasing what she had just seen. He felt bad that he had been doing that lately. The fact was that Jamie couldn't handle what he could do, and wouldn't understand. He knew that she'd think he was a freak if she knew. It's not that he really cared what she thought, she was just a distraction from Claire. Something to make the time pass, and keep him sane.

There wasn't anyone who could compare to Claire, not anyone alive for that matter. The only person who he felt love for, like Claire was Simone. Sometimes at night, he'd close his eyes and picture her beautiful eyes, and get lost in them. He often wondered to himself how his life would have turned out if she'd never died. His stomach turned as he remembered her death, it had all been his fault. If he hadn't gone to look for Isaac, she would have never died.

He turned to look at Jamie again, he couldn't hear her though, it was as if he'd tuned her out completely. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slightly furrowing his forehead. He went back in his mind, through all his memories, until he got to that cloudy day in October, when he had been in Isaac's flat.

Peter opened his eyes and marveled, at the fact that he'd gone back in time. Everything was just as he'd remembered.

Isaac had his back to him, and was busy slashing paint all over a canvas. The door open and Peter turned to see himself walk in. he remained invisible to not cause any questions. Instead he decided to walk outside, and found Simone making her way up the stairs.

For a second he felt his heart stop as it did when he saw Claire. He wondered to himself, was it the same feeling? Did he still love her? Or was it just the fact that he'd missed her? Seeing her in front of him made him want to cry. She was going to die and it was his fault. None of the mess he had caused was her fault, yet she ended up paying for it.

Simone looked up and smiled, looking at Peter, "What are you doing here? You look…different"

Peter was at a loss of words, all he could think of doing, was walking down the stairs and kissing her. She responded and kissed him softly back.

Small tears ran down his face, as he kissed her. Simone noticed, and frowned, pulling back from him, "Peter what's wrong?"

He shook his head and hugged her, "Nothing, I just missed you"

"Did you save the cheerleader?"

He scoffed, and ran his hand down her face, "yes, Simone, do you trust me?"

"Peter what's going on? Of course I trust you, you're looking at me as if I came back from the dead"

"Simone don't go inside Isaacs apartment. Please? Just walk away"

She frowned, "Why?"

Tears filled Peter's eyes again and he took a deep breath, "I can't tell you. Just please walk away."

Simone turned away from him and started walking, but took Peter's hand just as he closed his eyes. Before he realized what she'd done they were both traveling into the future.

He was back at school and Simone stood frozen, holding his hand. He blinked and it brought her back to life.

"What happened?" she asked looking around confused.

"You grabbed on to me as I was traveling into the future"

For a split second she frowned, and then looked around, "You're from the future?"

He nodded, "I had to go back and save you"

She hugged him, and he took in her scent, "So where are we?"

"California in 2008"

He couldn't stop staring at her and just thinking to himself how much of a miracle it was to have her back. The curls of her hair mesmerized him, and kept him in a daze, that only she could brake. It didn't matter to him that they were in the middle of the cafeteria, and were standing in the middle, just staring into each other.

"Why here?"

"I go to school here, I decided to go to medical school after all"

"That's great! But why not go to NYU or a school in New York?" she asked curiously looking around at the students.

He sighed, and sat down in an empty bench, she took a seat next to him, and put down her purse.

"After you died…a lot of things happened. I didn't explode in New York, Nathan helped me fly away. We were able to save the city-"

"Nathan can fly?"

"Yes, but he doesn't like to tell anyone"

"I wish I could tell you everything that happened, but I can't. all I know is that I need you Simone, I need you to stop me from continuing what I'm doing. I'm a horrible person to let myself do this to my family"

Simone held her hand up to Peter's chin, and held it there, soothingly. There was so much love and concern in her eyes, that made Peter's heart ache.

"Peter you're a good person, you could never hurt your family. You're good hearted, what could you have possibly done to hurt your family and make you feel like this?"

Hot tears formed in his eyes again, threatening to fall down his face, "I can't tell you. All I can say is that, I need you. I need you to be with me. Please Simone, say you'll be with me"

Her mouth was slightly open and her face was frowning, but she didn't know what to say. The only thing she could think of doing was kissing him, and holding his hand.

"Yes Peter, I'll stay with you"

_Petrelli Mansion, New York. Claire Petrelli_

Claire looked over a bulletin she had made while she had lived in the Petrelli house. There were a few pictures of her and Jerod, but more of her and Peter. Nothing obvious of course, but just family photos, where all their attention was on each other. It amazed her how their attraction hadn't become obvious to anyone but them.

She took her attention away from the pictures and continued unpacking. She still had to change, especially since Peter was going to get there soon. They had decided to take different flights because Peter had finals until the day before Thanksgiving. Claire had been disappointed because ever since they had made out that night at her condo, he hadn't been the same. She had tried to kiss him just days before she had left to New York, and he hadn't let her. He made excuse saying he was upset that she had kissed Jerod, but it didn't make any sense to her, when he was kissing Jamie too.

She heard the door ring downstairs and felt butterflies roam through out her body. Her hand started shaking as she heard his voice. He was speaking to Nathan. She went to lock her door, and looked over herself in the mirror, making sure that she looked ok.

There was a knock at her door, and her heart stopped, "Who is it?"

"It's me"

It was Peter, she smiled and turned around to open the door, but decided against it. She'd make him wait instead.

"I'll be down in a few minutes"

"No Claire I need to speak with you"

That took her by surprise, Peter was never the type to be demanding. She was about to open the door, but as she started to, he walked through the door, over to her.

_'wow he looks so hot'_

And he did, she couldn't help at stare at his jaw. It was her favorite thing about him, his jaw and crooked lip.

_'what I would give to pounce you'_

Peter started laughing, "God Claire, you need to learn how to hide what you're thinking. It's too easy to read you"

Her cheeks turned slightly pink and she looked away, "So what did you need to speak to me about?"

He sighed, "Right…Claire I love you", he whispered, for no one but them to hear.

She nodded, "I know, I love you too Peter", Claire wrapped her arms around him, but he slowly removed them from around his neck.

"I can't do this Claire. I love you, but I love my family too, and this here is wrong. I shouldn't have kissed you. You're my brothers _daughter_"

"I don't care"

"Claire the truth is…I'm in love with someone else"

"Right…"

"Claire I'm serious, her name is Simone Devaeux. I told you about her remember? I went back to the day on Isaacs flat, and saved her"

She frowned and crossed her arms, "Why did you save her?"

He sighed, "Because I needed too. I'm too old for you Claire, you should be with someone your age. Someone who will love you more than I do"

"But you love me"

"Yes, I do, you're my niece"

It was as if the whole world had stopped at that second. As if he'd said it in slow motion to torture her. A small part inside of her deflated, where she had been happy. How could he be in love with someone else? Why? All the thoughts ran through her head.

"Get out"

"Oh Claire, Plea-"

"I said get out"

She turned away from him and felt tears go down her cheeks. She remembered exactly who Simone was, but she had no idea Peter loved her enough to go back in time for her.

After she made sure Peter was gone, she collapsed on to her bed and cried into her hands, trying not to make any noise. Below she could hear them all laughing, even Peter. If that's what he wanted though, she had decided that it was fine. She was going to give him a taste of his own medicine.

* * *

**Authors's Note:** finally out of the way! on to the next chapter! please review and tell me what you think!


	8. Chapter Sept

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Sept_

_Petrelli Mansion, New York. Peter Petrelli_

Peter looked out the veranda to their backyard. It was amazing what money could get you. Their backyard was almost to the other side of the block. He remembered when they had first moved into the mansion. They had spent the prior summer in France, visiting his mom's family. He had only been 6 then, but he could still remember the first day he'd been amazed at how big their backyard was. He even got lost once or twice while playing hide and seek with Nathan. Of course Nathan wouldn't really play, he'd just count and pretend to look for Peter, but Peter would always end up falling asleep in his hiding place.

Someone gently touched his shoulder, and Peter turned around to come face to face with Nathan. There was a look of concern in his eyes that Peter couldn't help at notice.

"Pete, what's going on?"

A knot inside his throat hardened and he swallowed, trying his best to contain himself from exposing what he truly felt. Nathan was the last person he wanted to express what was really wrong to. How could he tell him that no matter what he did, he'd always be in love with his daughter?

"Nothing's going on. I just missed you guys," it was only half the truth though. Nathan wasn't focused enough to see that he was lying.

"Well that's your own fault Pete. I told you not to move to California. I still don't understand why you rejected NYU"

Peter sighed and awkwardly smiled, "I was trying to get away"

"From What Peter? What were you trying to get away from? Your family? Mom? Me? You don't tell me what's going on anymore Peter. You use to tell me everything, what happened to the happy go lucky Peter I use to know?"

"I wasn't trying to get away from any of you. I just needed a different scenery. Things here were too opaque , dead, I felt like I wasn't going anywhere here. California seemed like a good idea to get away at first"

Nathan now had his arms crossed and stared at Peter with such intensity and concentration that he felt cornered. It was as if he could feel Nathan prying into his thoughts and emotions, almost like he was reading him.

Peter took a couple steps back, and rubbed his arm nervously. He knew that he was doing a bad job at lying, but he couldn't tell Nathan that he was the reason he had left. He had wanted to get away from that exact look he was giving him at that moment. It made Peter feel remorseful towards him.

Despite whatever his mother had said about Nathan, he'd always been there for Peter when he needed him the most. He knew that his campaign had distracted him a bit from what was around him and had engulfed him completely, but his whole life he'd watched over him and Peter knew he felt a sort of responsible for him.

"Boys! it's time for dinner" Called Angela.

Nathan gave Peter one last awkward smile and patted his back, helping him in. Peter felt the pressure inside his chest growing with every lie he told his brother. Sure Nathan hadn't warmed up to Claire and they didn't have a normal father daughter relationship, but then again they'd only spent a little while together.

Once Peter had entered the dinning room, he immediately noticed Claire sitting down pointedly trying to avoid him. Unfortunately for both of them, the only empty seat left at the dinning table, was the one next to Claire. He sighed before sitting next to her and giving her an apologetic smile.

"So Peter, how's California? Do you like it there?" Heidi was making a feeble attempt of lifting up the somberness around the table.

"Uh…it's fine…just fine"

For a few minutes the only noise in the dinning room was the silverware, that was cutting the food on their porcelain plates. It was apparent to all of them that there was some type of awkward silence.

Angela, who was the most aware of this broke the uneasy silence, "Claire, tell us, how is school in California? What do you and Peter do there?"

Peter looked over at Claire, her fork had stopped in mid air as Angela had asked her that question. He could tell that she hadn't been prepared to answer any questions.

"Well…it's…it's fine. It's school."

The whole table with the exception of Monty and Simon were now either staring at Peter or Claire. He wasn't looking up at them, but he could feel their eyes gawking at them. Instead he cut away at the food in front of him, trying to distract himself, from the never ending silence.

Something though made him smirk, and that was hearing Claire's thoughts next to him.

_'just think of a happy place, happy place, happy place'_

Peter wished there was some way he could talk to her back without any of them hearing. He concentrated in diving into her mind and spreading his message across her thoughts.

_'Let's at least pretend to get along, so they don't get suspicious'_

When she instantly looked over at him horrified, he knew his attempt had been successful. A small frown appeared on her face, but he still didn't turn over to look at her, instead he continued eating his food peacefully, and he heard her talk, "Well Peter, some friends and I have been going to the beach a lot, so I am enjoying California"

Her second response was rather hesitant, but they all seemed to buy it.

Angela smiled and looked over at Peter, "That's wonderful, having each other close by must be a real advantage. Do both of you car pool to school?"

Peter looked up and stifled a laugh, "Not exactly mom. The campus is big, we don't precisely have classes right next to each other"

Claire piped in, "Yeah, besides Peter isn't that reliable when it comes to car pooling. Since sometimes he doesn't even show up"

Angela and Nathan both frowned and turned to look over at Peter, who was staring at Claire with a wide open mouth.

"Peter, you've been playing hooky?"

Although his gaze was still on Claire, he spoke clearly to Nathan, "No. Claire is mistaken, what she means is, we don't have classes the same day. Sometimes she has classes on the days that I don't"

There was a small smirk on Claire's face, and Peter knew exactly what it was for. His excuse had been lame, and he knew that both Nathan and Angela would lecture him about how a 27 year old could be so irresponsible. It's not that he wanted to be irresponsible, it was just the mere fact that some days he couldn't bring himself to be around Claire. He couldn't be around her with out having awful thoughts, that made him feel guilt-ridden.

Heidi could sense the tension between the two of them, and knew something serious had caused it. Peter and Claire had never had any disagreements to the point that they had picked at each other, which they were doing now. She turned to Nathan, it was apparent that he too could sense the oddity of their behavior.

"Everyone? Nathan and I have some exciting news"

All the eyes around the table were now rested upon Nathan and Heidi. She hadn't wanted to present their news in this was, but giving the current circumstance, it was the only thing that could save the night from going sour.

"What is it?" Asked Claire with fixed curiosity.

Heidi looked over at Nathan and held his hand, while giving him a nervous smile.

"We're expecting a child"

Peter had already known since he had spoken to her on the phone. He had accidentally read Nathan's mind, and it was suffice to say that Heidi was much more excited over the news than he was. Nonetheless, Peter acted as if he had not known and played along with Claire, who he had already told as well.

He turned over to look at her, and different emotions went pouring into him, all at the same time. The expression on her face was the fake surprised face she had been practicing, but there was so much more behind it. He could sense the hurt, sadness, and the tinge of jealousy she felt for Heidi. He knew that Claire would never admit it, but deep inside she had always wanted to keep that baby.

_'Stop looking at me Peter…not right now'_

Though it was just a thought, the way it had sounded had been so tender, and fearful, that he'd tapped into her feelings. He turned away from her and found Angela watching him, with a hardened expression. He didn't know why, but at that moment, he felt as if his mom had just found out their secret.

_Petrelli Mansion, New York, New York. Claire Petrelli._

That evening had gone worse than she had expected it to. Of course, she hadn't ever had thanksgiving with the bio family, so she really hadn't known what to expect. Claire knew that it was partially her fault though, she had started the awkwardness by outing Peter about his cutting his classes. It was his fault though, if he hadn't ruined her mood that morning, she wouldn't have felt compelled to ruin his.

After kissing her at her apartment, she couldn't believe that he'd do a complete 180 and told her he loved Simone. Claire couldn't lie to herself though, she knew that in the back of her mind, she had sort of been expecting him to do something of the sort. Peter was the most noblest man she'd ever met, and his guilt won over his desire to be with her, or so she thought.

Claire laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering to herself why she had decided to spend thanksgiving with them instead of a normal thanksgiving dinner with her family back in Odessa. Yet, she knew why. It was all for Peter, she had wanted to spend time with him, but of course now it didn't matter.

She sat up and looked under her bed to pull out a photo album that she remembered making with Daphne the year before. It had some old ones of her and Jerod as well as the cheerleading squad.

"Reminiscing high school?

Claire snapped her head towards her window to see Peter standing there, clearly upset.

"You know it's rude to just barge into someone else's room like that"

He started walking towards her, but she held her album against her chest and backed away from him.

"Claire why did you say those things during dinner? Are you trying to make them suspect something? Didn't you see the way that my mom was looking at us towards the end?"

She could feel his hot breath against her cheek, "How could she possibly know? It's not like I said anything to put _you_ in jeopardy. Sorry I forgot, you have _so much_ respect for Nathan and don't want to hurt him. Well take a look Peter, does it look like he actually gives a fuck about me? No. If he had it his way, I would never have come into the picture, so I don't really think he'd care if you were fucking me"

Peter instantly covered Claire's mouth with one of his hands, and made a hush sound with the other. He turned and saw that her knob was turning slowly. He motioned for her to go to her bed, and he held his finger to his mouth becoming invisible.

Claire sat on her bed, and saw as Angela walked into her room. With much poise, she closed the door behind her and smiled curtly at Claire, before sitting next to her on her bed.

"Claire, I know more than you think I do. You think this family doesn't love you, but regardless you are a Petrelli, and the way you are wanted. You are very important to this family Claire. I always knew that Bennett would take care of you, so yes I did send you away to save Nathan's career, but that doesn't mean I wasn't watching over you as well. You are a **Petrelli** as much as the rest of us. Do not forget that, don't forget that all your decisions can affect this family."

There was nothing more that she hoped for at that moment, other than to not be in the same room with Angela. There was something about the way that she spoke that made Claire think that somehow she _did_ know how she felt about Peter. She didn't let her apprehension get to her though, her heart may have been beating rapidly, but on the outside she was just as composed as Angela.

"You may think I don't know how you feel, but I do Claire"

Angela stood up, and as she did she could have sworn that she gave a slight glance to where Peter had been standing, in his invisible mode. Before, she could make sure though, Angela had already turned towards the door and had started walking out.

"Goodnight Claire, and think about what I said"

"Yes", was all she could manage to utter out.

Once the door was closed completely, she stood up and locked it, then turned around to see Peter materialize in front of her. The frightened look on his face mirrored what she felt inside.

Peter stepped closer to her and began to whisper, "I told you Claire, I told you she was suspecting"

Claire shook her head and ran one hand through her hair, "No, what's there to know? She didn't suspect anything last year, and she certainly doesn't have a reason to start suspecting anything now. You can't even bring yourself to look at me the same anymore, so why would she presume anything?"

Big hazel eyes looked into her own, and his little sad smile made her stomach flop with anxiety. Peter could tell her that he didn't love her or didn't want to be with her, but one look into his eyes contradicted whatever his mouth said. There was so much longing in his stare, so much frustration, anger.

"Claire…"

She looked away and concentrated on her duvet. The Egyptian silk was soft against her fingertips, and for a moment reminded her of Peter's own bed sheets, where they had slept together.

Images of all the nights, that his other self had seduced her started pouring in to her mind, exposing them for him to see. To make him see what he could have, to tempt him.

This time his voice was hushed, "Claire stop"

"Why?

The images continued, and only intensified, showing the most intimate moments that she had spent with his alter ego.

"That's not me Claire, and you know that. I don't want that, I want Simone. You're my niece, and whatever may have happened, it's in the past."

Claire cracked. There was no way to explain how she had suddenly felt her chest constrict with pain. Peter was the only one that could ever fill her up with that pain, that made her feel as if she was destructible.

"Do you really mean that?"

He sighed, and as he did his nostrils slightly flared with what seemed to be uneasiness. Peter licked his lips and tried to maintain his face hardened, "With all honesty"

"Ok. Can you leave please? I really am tired"

She had turned around to hide her tears. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"Oh Claire", his voice was soothing and sympathetic. Peter made an attempt to comfort her, but she twitched as she felt his touch and moved away from him.

"Please Peter, just leave"

"I still care about-"

"I said leave dammit!"

A wind of air hit against her skin, and she knew that he was gone. It was then that Claire let herself brake into tears. Peter was the only reason she had wanted to become a part of this family, and now she knew that had been the biggest mistake that she had made. She hadn't thought about the fact that him being her uncle, might make him not like her.

What infuriated her the most was that he could be so hypocritical. He had been the one to kiss her back at her apartment in San Diego. He had been the one to make the first move, so why was he acting this way now?

The blinds moved against her window, and looked up to see Peter standing there again.

"I told you to leave dammit!"

He was panting, and acted as if he hadn't just heard her. Slowly, he started making his way towards her and she could see tears forming in his eyes as he got closer.

"What's wrong with you Peter? Did you change your mind again? Is this all that it is to you? Some type of mind game?"

Peter continued to stay silent and raised one of his hands to caress her cheek, "Claire, I've missed you so much"

She frowned and stood back, "what are you talking about? You were just here…"

A tear fell down his cheek and as he spoke he chocked out his words, "No Claire, I'm from the future"

* * *

**N/A:** finally! i'm so happy i got this out, i feel more at ease now! I'm sorry it took so long to update, i'm going to try and post the next chapter sooner. please comment, I love reading them, they motivate me write more. Also, i love hearing your opinions and insights to the story! and if you haven't yet, I just started another Paire fic, it's called **He Was My Hero**. check it out please and tell me what you think! 


	9. Chapitre Huit

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre huit_

_New York, New York. Claire Petrelli_

"What do you mean your from the future?"

Claire slowly brought Peter's hand down from her cheek and took a footstep back. She was slightly scared of the situation, but the despondency on his face crushed her. He looked so vulnerable, and as he looked into her eyes and touched her hand again, his bottom lip quivered.

"I love you Claire…I love you so much"

Seeing him like that began to make Claire feel horrible, why was he almost crying?

"Peter, from what future are you? Why are you crying?"

He sobbed and took her into a tight hug, and she felt his chest against hers heave another sob. He looked exactly as he did now, nothing about him had changed in the least. Even his haircut remained the same, and she was glad he still had it as well, because that was the last thing about him that she would have ever wanted changed.

"I just missed you so much…the night I ran into you at your high school was the best moment of my life Claire, I want you to know that ok?"

He grabbed her hand and kissed it, holding his lips against her soft skin. The delicacy of his lips on her skin started giving her goose bumps through out her body. He was holding her as if she was the most fragile thing in the world, and if anything…that petrified her even more.

"Peter, what's going on?"

Tears started coming down his cheeks and he crushed his lips against hers. It was clear to Claire that wherever he came from, something horrible must have happened. She'd never seen him cry before, and to tell the truth, seen him like that scared her. Was something going to happen to her in the future?

It seemed like the kiss lasted an eternity, and Claire honestly wanted it to. It was her very own Peter admitting that he loved her, and kissing her like he'd never before.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

They instantly pulled apart to reveal the present Peter standing at her door, with a dumbfounded expression upon his face. For a moment Claire looked from him to the future Peter and open her mouth to try to explain what was going on. As she did though, nothing came out, because the truth was that she herself didn't really understand what was happening either.

"You have to take Simone back to the past", the future Peter declared.

"No, If I take her to the past she'll die"

A small smirk appeared on future Peter's lips, and he fought back tears, "I'm from the future Peter…I'm telling you to do it"

"Then why don't you do it?"

"She's already dead in the future"

Claire fell on her bed and looked from one to the other as they argued over Simone…not even her.

"Well why do you want me to take her back in time to die, if she dies in the future? That doesn't make sense"

Peter from the future glanced over at Claire and smiled, "Because then it will be too late to fix things with Claire"

The present future was annoyed by this time and he rolled his eyes as he paced around Claire's room. She hated him at that moment. His true colors were coming out and it was apparent to Claire that he truly didn't care about her, not like the future him did.

"This whole situation is just not normal, I'm leaving"

And without saying goodbye her present Peter had strolled out of her room again. She looked up to the other Peter who was still giving her a sad smile.

"I'll come around, don't worry. Claire I promised to take care of you, and I'm going to"

Claire at this point couldn't help at start crying. Slowly tears emerged from her eyes and started rolling down her cheeks, but Peter wiped them away with his tender touch.

He sat beside her, and pulled her in to a tight embrace, all the while she took in his wonderful scent.

"Peter in the future are we together?"

He sighed, and simply caressed her hair, not answering her right away. Instead he held her and rocked her as she realized that his silence was the answer to the undying question that had been haunting her since she had met him. There wasn't any need for him to answer if it was apparent that they'd never truly be together.

"That's why I came back Claire, I want to change the future for us…for you"

"But why can't you tell me what happens in the future? I don't understand all this need for secrecy"

There eyes had met, both teary eyed and hurt, saddened by the fact that they had been condemned to a world where they're yearning love for each other was forbidden.

"There's no need to tell you, when I'm here to change things ok? I'll tell you one thing…You marry Jerod, and I marry Simone"

Claire rolled her eyes and stifled a laugh, "you've got to be kidding me"

He began to laugh with her. It wasn't because the future was funny, but it was ironic that it had to end up like that. It was what she had dreaded, and had been afraid that would be come her life and future.

"I have to go Claire"

Claire looked up at him and shook her head, "No Peter you can't! I want this you, not the one that I've been dealing with"

"I'm sorry Claire, but I've already lived through this time, I can't stay"

"Then will you come back? Please?"

He was tentative, she could tell that, but he looked into her eyes and couldn't help at give in, "I will"

With a small smile, he was gone and Claire looked around frantically for her future Peter that loved her, like the present one didn't. he was nowhere in sight though, and she felt the tears fill up her eyes again.

She wanted to scream, and throw things in frustration, but she doubted that Nathan and Heidi would appreciate that. Instead she mentally yelled to Peter, making sure he was aware of just much hatred she had for him at that moment.

……

_Airplane, Flying over the states. Peter Petrelli_

Claire and Peter had left the mansion the next day to hop on a flight that would take them to Odessa. Claire had arranged their ride back to make a day stop in Texas to visit her family.

They had decided not to cause anymore suspicion by acting nicely to each other following Thanksgiving.

So there they were, flying somewhere in between New York and Texas. After Heidi, Nathan, and the boys had dropped them off, they hadn't said a word to each other. There was enough tension to cut it with a knife, and Peter didn't know what to say to fix the situation that they were in. Instead he opted for listening to his ipod. The ipod that Claire had got for him last year. It was black, and she'd had them engrave his name in the back of it, it was cute, or so he thought. It was something a 18 year old would have done.

He was finally coming to terms that. The fact was that she was 18, plus the other little problem that she was his niece as well. Peter had been trying to convince himself that all he had felt for her had merely been lust…a simple infatuation. But with every endearing look she gave him, his assurance was put aside and instead he was filled with doubt. Yes she was young, but there was such a strong connection between the both of them. Sometimes he felt as if he couldn't hide it anymore, he just wanted to literally kiss her until she didn't have a breath of air left in her.

"What are you staring at?" she asked defensively, taking off her earphones.

He cleared his throat and looked away from her to a magazine in front of him, "Nothing"

"It better be nothing" the sharpness in her voice hurt Peter.

Why couldn't she realize that all he was doing was for her own safety? It's not as if he'd wanted things to end up the way they had, he just wanted to save her from being hurt.

"Claire…Can't we have a normal uncle-niece relationship?"

She scoffed and kept her eyes on her vogue magazine, looking at the new trends for the coming spring.

"You know I love you Claire, but can't you see that it's impossible for us to be together?"

"You don't know what it was like for me having to deal with the other you. The worst part of all of it was realizing that it wasn't really you, that you would never remember any of it."

Peter stayed silent and looked towards the window to watch the clouds. The whole situation that they were under literally depressed him. So he decided to do something about the tension. He slowly let his hand become invisible and it made it's way past his seat towards Claire, until it was under her shirt and tickling her ribcage.

She was determined to ignore him, and his hand, but the tickling sensation of his fingers over her bare skin started to win and a small smile appeared on her face. Claire started laughing slightly at first but still made a point to ignore Peter. When it got to the point that she couldn't help at laugh out loud Claire tried to make him stop but he wouldn't.

"Ok! Stop!"

He removed his hand and it materialized as it made its way back to his side of his chair. He couldn't help at smirk, Peter was happy he'd finally made her smile instead of cry. All he needed was to see Claire smile, and his day was complete.

"Finally you've lightened up"

Claire's smile instantly went away and instead she pursed her lips a little and looked away from him. Even when she looked ahead though, Peter noticed the tiny grin on her face that she was trying to hide.

"Are you smiling?"

Claire scoffed, "No"

Peter was about to counter that she had, but they were interrupted by the flight attendant.

"Would you like any beverages?" she asked, with a plastered fake smile.

_'I hate this job. Everyone is so difficult. Hmm he's pretty cute'_

Peter couldn't help at laugh and wink at the flight attendant,.

"Well what do you have?" his voice was husky and low.

Claire looked from Peter to the flight attendant and elbowed him in the ribs.

_'I cannot believe you're flirting with her! You are an asshole'_

"We have Ginger Ale, Coke, Sprite, orange soda, orange juice, lemonade. We also have a variety of alcoholic beverages at a low cost of 2 dollars a bottle. We have vodka, red wine, white wine, and whisky"

Peter eyed Claire who was looking down at her vogue magazine, determined not to look at either Peter again or the flight attendant. He sighed and smiled at her, "I'll have a coke, and whisky please"

He took out his wallet and handed her the money.

Claire couldn't believe that he was actually drinking on an airplane. She rolled her eyes at him and elbowed him again. He ignored her though and took his drinks.

After the flight attendant had given him his change, she continued to go down the isle, offering the other passengers beverages. She turned to give Peter one last smile and he winked back. After he was sure she wasn't watching him anymore, he turned to Claire.

"What the _hell_ is your problem?"

Claire scowled, "You were flirting with her, right in front of me. You are a pig Peter"

"She was having a bad day Claire, I read her thoughts, I just wanted to brighten it up"

"Whatever"

For the remainder of the flight, Claire kept ignoring Peter, even though he repeatedly touched her and spoke to her. After a while though he finally gave up, and just kept ordering more drinks, until he was slightly buzzed. He was very comfortable, and listened to his ipod,

He closed his eyes and felt Claire get up to go to the restroom. When she was gone for about three minutes a small smile crept on his face. He stood up himself, and grabbed on to the top compartment of their seating because he was a little unbalanced. He started walking towards the bathroom, and realized they were both occupied. He stood by one waiting to see which one Claire was in.

The door on his right hand side opened, and a little girl walked out. He smiled at her slightly, and she ran away crying towards the seat where her mother was sitting. Peter rolled his eyes and turned invisible as to not cause any problems.

As he did though, Claire started opening her door. He swiftly made his way inside and pushed her against the wall, while closing the door and locking it telekinetically.

The look on her face was a mixture of panic and confusion. He smiled wryly at her and let her go, but all the while wrapping his hands around her waist.

"Peter…what are you doing?"

He ignored her query though. Slowly he walked towards her and softly pinned her against the wall against. This time he kept going with her and holding his head right next to her, breathing into her neck. Peter let himself get caught up in the moment. The perfume she was wearing drove him crazy, it was sweet, just like her.

The thing that drove him crazy more than anything though was her attire. Ever since Angela had somewhat taken Claire under her wing, she had changed her wardrobe completely. He never liked the close she use to wear, except for of course her cheerleading uniform. What she wore now caused him to go wild over her. Her black slightly tight skirt accentuated her curves perfectly which made Peter loose his self-restraint even more.

"Just don't talk Claire"

Gradually he bent his head down to kiss her neck softly, massaging it with his lips. Through her throat he could feel her inhale deeply, and exhale. He could sense that she wanted him that moment, just as much as he wanted her.

"Peter you aren't yourself again, are you?" the words were spoken weakly, almost with a slight moan.

He smirked, "I am myself…I just couldn't take it anymore Claire. I thought I could pretend, refrain myself, but I'm powerless when it comes to you"

Claire felt one of his hands glide under her shirt to caress her bare stomach. He wanted nothing more than to please her, to give her what she desired the most.

"You're drunk Peter"

He shook his head, and planted wet kisses on her chest, which she gladly accepted. The thought of finally knowing what Claire looked like unclothed started driving Peter crazy. It intensified each sluggish kiss he gave her. One of his hands slowly found it's way to the back of her skirt, and started zipping it down. As he did though, he was surprised to feel Claire abruptly push him away so that he hit the sink with a thud.

"Why'd you do that for?" his voice rather slurred.

Claire ran a hand through her hair and tried to steady her breathing before continuing to speak. With one hard stare at Peter he could sense that he'd made the wrong move to unzip her skirt, "You are the most inconsistent and indecisive person I know Peter. One minute you want me, then Simone, then me. I mean honestly, what is it going to be? Because quite frankly I'm tired of playing this stupid game with you"

At first Peter was taken aback by her impulsive profession. It would have never occurred to him that she would be the one pushing him away, in the situation which they were currently in. He started to giggle, and embraced her in a hug.

"God Claire, you're funny"

Peter felt her stiffen at first, obviously not wanting to give into him, but he felt her loosen once he breathed into her neck again. He knew that was her weak spot, just below the back of her ear. Every time he kissed her just in that spot, he could read her tainted thoughts, and every little detailed fixation she wanted to do with him.

_'God I want you so bad'_

He laughed into her neck, as that tiny thought ran through her. Careful to not frighten her, he place his hand slowly on her back and gradually made his hand down to her zipper again. It felt like an eternity until the zipper had gone all the way down until it revealed her silk lace boy cut shorts. He couldn't help but pull her skirt down so that it fell down to her feet.

At that point peter decided to elevate the speed at which they were going at. He sat down on the covered toilet and beckoned for her to sit on top of him. Of course Claire couldn't help but oblige, he sensed that her desire was just as immense as his.

He felt his pants tighten, at which point the knew that his arousal was mounting. With great force he managed to somehow get one hand on his buckle to take off his pants. Claire reached down impatient at his lethargic speed, and took matters into her own hands. Before Peter had a chance to register what had happened, he found himself naked from the waist down. He looked up at Claire, whose face clearly stated what she wanted, and he smiled, because there was no going back at that point.

_Airplane, Claire Petrelli._

Claire gracelessly made her way back to her airplane seat, not sure what to think about what had just happened. It had been completely impulsive on her part, and was amazed that no one stared at her as she walked out. Considering how many times she had orgasmed, she couldn't believe that she could actually walk. Claire had seen the other side of Peter, but not even he had ever done what her Peter just had.

She tucked a strand f hair behind her ear as she sat down on to her seat, and buckled up. There was something about the whole situation in which it had happened which made her feel self conscious and doubt what she had just done. Though there was no doubt in her mind that she had enjoyed it, even as unexpected as it had been. She was happy to be quite frank. To feel Peter's strong yet toned arms around her body, and his bare chest against his made her bite her lip just thinking about it.

As Peter slid past her, he gave her the all knowing smirk, a smirk that conveyed how he felt.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be arriving shortly. At this time we'd like to ask everyone to please tighten their seatbelts, as we land"

Claire tried to prevent herself from glancing at Peter, but the truth was that she just couldn't. With one quick glance at him, it was evident to see that his gaze was solely on her. His hand somehow landed on hers and he raised to his lips to kiss it gingerly.

"You mystify me Peter Petrelli"

Peter formed the half smiled, that he knew she loved so much, "I have that affect sometimes"

His less than modest remark made her laugh, and she wanted more than anything to roll her eyes. Something though, made that impossible for her, and all she could think of doing was staring adoringly into his face. His hazel eyes spoke out just what he was feeling, and she loved being able to decipher what he was thinking by just looking into him.

What most drove her crazy about him though was his hair. The emoness of it drove her crazy. She loved how his bangs fell over his eyes, and covered them slightly, making him have a boyish appearance. Not that he didn't look boyish already, truth be told he looked much around her age. Anyone who looked at both of them would only guess that they were a couple years apart, not that they were nine years apart.

Claire inhaled his cologne, which was now laced with his slightly alcoholic smell upon his breath. Normally, on any other guy she would have minded, but there was always an exception for Peter. He could do anything to her, and she knew at the end of the day that as much as she tried to resist and remain mad at him, it never lasted.

No matter how many times he professed his undying love for Simone, she knew it was only a cover up. The only reason why he said that was to deny to himself and her that he was truly in love with her, and she knew that. He'd often admitted how it disgusted him that he felt that way about her, _it wasn't right, _he'd always argue. It didn't matter to her at all though, she'd often had fantasies about leaving everyone behind to be with him. Those were only fantasies though, because at the end of the day she knew he'd never leave his family.

…….

_Odessa, Texas. Bennett Home, Claire Petrelli_

Dinner that evening at the Bennett home was very ill at ease. There was silence, through out the whole table with the exception of the clattering of silverware. Indeed, their dinner was very much like the one they had, had in New York, Claire thought to herself.

Her father kept making feeble attempts at starting a conversation with Peter. There was something about the way that he was looking at Peter that made Claire uncomfortable. His jaw seemed to clench every time he addressed Peter, and made eye contact with him.

"So how is everything in New York Peter? Your brother is the Senator now I hear"

Peter nodded, chewing on his food carefully, and waiting for it to go down before replying. Claire, could sense the nervousness Peter was feeling. Every few seconds she'd see him unconsciously put his bangs behind his ear.

"Everything is great. Yes Nathan's still the senator"

Noah smirked slightly, "I hear you're going to school in California just like Claire"

Again, Peter moved his bangs behind his ear, "Uh…yes. It was a surprise for me actually, she just showed up at my doorstep"

Claire bit her lip nervously, because she knew what was coming next.

Her dad turned t look at her, "It's funny because Claire never once mentioned that she knew you were going to school out there."

Breathing in deeply she replied, "I didn't think it was really important. Angela had just mentioned it to me once, and I just remembered when I got there"

Sandra who was holding Mr. Muggles while she ate could see the friction only intensifying.

"You know I think that's just wonderful! I mean, I really like the idea of Peter looking over Claire. It just makes me feel more comfortable, how about you honey?" she asked glancing at her husband.

Noah turned and stared at his wife, and although it was only a few seconds, she felt as if it lasted an eternity. Her dad broke into a smile, and held his wife's hand, while turning back to look at Claire and Peter who were seated at the opposite end of the table.

"It really is great. I'm counting on you to take care of my little girl Peter"

Peter nodded eagerly, there was nothing more he wanted than to be on Noah's good side, and Claire knew that.

Lyle who had been silent the whole time through out dinner suddenly broke out, "So you're the guy who saved Claire at her high school?"

Without realizing it, Peter adjusted his bangs again, "yeah, that was me"

"And you're her biological uncle?"

Those words caused both Claire and Peter discomfort, because there was no way that Peter had _uncle_ feelings towards her. He felt everything but that, and she knew that.

……

The awkward dinner lasted for another hour before Lyle suddenly announced he had to go to bed. At which point Noah and Sandra both said the same thing.

" Peter I've already set up the guest bedroom, it's right in between Lyle's and ours"

"Thank you so much for letting me stay" Peter said earnestly.

"Well you are Claire's uncle, and quite honestly the only Petrelli we actually like", joked Noah.

Peter forced a smile, and said goodnight to him as he headed up to his room.

Claire said goodnight to her father, and watched intently as he headed up the stairs. Once he was out of her sight, she finally let out a sigh.

"finally"

She swiftly wrapped her arms around Peter's neck, but he was more than reluctant to hug her back. He carefully pushed her off of him and stood up.

"Claire what are you doing?" there was a startling expression upon his face. Yet as he had said the words, they had been whispers.

_'You were more than wanting to take me in the airplane. So why not now?'_

He sighed, and put his hand through his tousled hair, shaking it even more. Claire went crazy when he did that. There was something about the way that it made him look that she loved.

She couldn't take it, so she crushed her lips upon his, and held his cheeks.

"What are you guys doing?"

With a blink of an eye Peter pushed Claire off to be face to face with a groggy Lyle who had come down the stairs…

* * *

N/A: please tell me what you think! i'm slowly trying to catch up to updating and getting in the paireness of it all! 


	10. Chapitre Neuf

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Neuf_

_Odessa, Texas. Bennett Home, Peter Petrelli._

He had known it. Peter had known that eventually they would be caught in an awkward situation. He didn't know whether he was more upset at himself, or angry with Claire that she had just out of nowhere had kissed him.

They all stood there in silence. Peter glanced from Claire to Lyle trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. Yet every time that he opened his mouth to clarify what had happened, nothing but a croak came out. He looked at Claire with a pleading expression

"Why were you both kissing?" he asked yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"We weren't kissing," denied Peter heatedly.

Claire piped in, "Exactly…I was telling him a secret"

Lyle crossed his arms, it was apparent that he was wide-awake now. He raised an eyebrow and licked his lips, "you expect me to believe that, you were telling him a secret, even though it's obvious that you guys were kissing?"

Peter sighed, "No I don't. You're right, we were. I'm sure that you aren't going to tell anyone though"

"What the hell makes you so sure about that?" he asked defensively.

Claire turned to look at Peter; she was starting to understand where he was going with that.

"He's right Lyle; you aren't going to tell anyone, because you aren't going to remember"

Lyle scoffed, and rolled his eyes.

"Right and why would that be?"

Peter looked over to Claire who was smiling mischievously. He stepped forward towards Lyle, and tried not to laugh. He raised one hand and put it over Lyle's forehead. Lyle stared at Peter's hand and closed his eyes as he took his memory of what had just happened away.

After about thirty seconds, Peter stepped back and looked at Lyle who was looking at Claire and frowning.

"What happened?" Lyle turned around and looked at the stairs and around the room, "How did I get here?"

Claire stepped forward and rubbed his back, "You were sleep walking Lyle. You almost fell down the stairs, but Peter here caught you"

Lyle frowned at Peter, "Thank you man"

"You should go back to sleep Lyle"

He nodded his head and walked up the stairs. Once he was out of sight, and they heard him close his door, they burst out into giggles.

"That was mean," laughed Claire.

Peter turned to look at her and became serious. As much as he wanted to keep on laughing and kiss her back, the reality was that she had just potentially put them in jeopardy of being caught.

"Well I wouldn't have had to do it, if you wouldn't have abruptly kissed me like that"

Claire didn't falter though, she pouted and caressed his cheek lovingly, "How could I not help myself?"

He slowly brought down her hand and sighed. At first he didn't say anything, just merely looked at her with his longing expression. Without giving her time to object, he wrapped his arms around her and blinked his eyes, and soon they were standing on top of the statue of liberty.

"Remember when we came here last time?" he asked sadly.

She nodded, looking down. Claire remembered being scared of the height, and still was.

"I remember you didn't give me my kiss too"

He smiled crookedly at her, "I finally gave you your kiss though didn't I?"

"Yes, but I had to force it out of you basically"

With his arms still wrapped around her thin body, Peter couldn't help but breathe in her sweet scent that he loved so much. He closed his eyes and just took her all in, memorizing her completely, by her scent alone. All he needed was her and he was complete. In reality though, he knew he'd never be able to have her. Hold her hand while waking down the street, kiss her in front of his family. Why was loving her the worst and the best thing that had ever happened to him?

Peter opened his eyes, and bent forward to the point where they could feel each other's breath. Their proximity was so close, that their foreheads were now against each other, and it was the best feeling in the world for Peter.

"I want to be with you so bad Claire," Unlike other times, this wasn't a sexual cry that he was telling her. It was out of love and affection in which those words were spoken. It was pure yearning.

He felt as if his heart at that moment was crying itself.

Claire's words were wistful and sweet, "I want to be with you too Peter"

He exhaled, and tried to contain himself from crying, "But we can't be Claire. It's just not possible. It's not meant to be"

It was Claire who couldn't help crying at this point, because she knew where this was headed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest, savoring the moment, because she ultimately knew that he was right.

"How can it not be meant to be when it feels so right?"

Peter swallowed, and kissed her head, "I don't know Claire"

There was nothing more that he could tell her. He thought it unfair that they had been cursed with being related to each other. For a moment he hated Nathan, loathed him, for making Claire his niece. He didn't understand how Nathan could have fathered her, it was out of his comprehension. The truth was that he would have been fine with never knowing Nathan was her father, or having the rest of the family know, they would have stood a chance that way at least. Now though, it was impossible to assume they'd end up together. The future Peter was wrong, he couldn't save things with Claire, he couldn't fix them.

"I rather be condemned to a life of loneliness, than to be with anyone else that isn't you Peter"

Hearing those words from Claire made Peter smile, but he wouldn't let her suffer just for him. She deserved to be able to find love with some other guy. Even if that meant that, it would kill him inside.

He tenderly brought her face up and kissed her lips. He loved the taste of them, they always tasted of some cherry chapstick. He pulled apart from her, "Claire that's our last kiss. We can't risk what happened with Lyle to happen again, ok?"

"Peter no, I'll be careful, we'll be careful"

"Claire, we can't. We have to wait"

Confusion formed in Claire's head, "What do you mean we have to wait?"

Peter stared directly into her eyes and inhaled, "Claire we have forever. We'll live forever. Why rush things and get caught? We can just wait"

"But I don't want to fucking wait! Do you know how I feel every time I'm around you? I wish what happened in the plane could happen everyday"

A smiled escaped from Peter's lips, and he laughed. Truthfully, he wanted the same thing. He wanted nothing more than to have her to himself all day. To be able to touch her whenever he felt like it, and kiss her, knowing it was ok with everyone else.

"Me too, but it can't Claire. We have to wait, and when it's just the two of us, I promise that we'll have that everyday"

With one last smile, he teleported them back to Odessa.

……….

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

Hangovers were now a very common thing in Peter's life. His lack of partying in his early life was now catching up to him. He found himself going to parties almost every single day. Occasionally he even found himself attending the same parties as Jerod and Claire. The first time it had completely surprised him, he couldn't believe Claire was actually at a party. Reality hit him though, she was eighteen, she was doing what any normal girl her age would do.

It was then that he'd drank himself drunk. He really hadn't meant to, but it had been the only thing that could distract him from looking to her, and watch her as she held Jerod's hand. There was something about the way that they had been touching that seemed different. It was as if their touch was more intimate now, and passionate.

A few days later he'd found out from Jamie that Claire had slept with him. Now, peter was not a violent person, but as soon as Jamie had told him that he'd gone straight to where Jerod had been and frozen time to beat him up until there was blood flowing down his clean white t-shirt.

Later Claire had accused him of the incident, which he repeatedly denied doing.

At that moment though, he was standing outside his advanced terminology class sucking on his cigarette, trying not to freeze to death as he waited for the rest of the class and teacher to get there.

"Hello"

Peter looked to his left to see a thin boy no older than eleven looking back at him, a bit scared actually. He had slick black straight hair that was chin length, pale skin, and bright blue eyes. There was something familiar about the boy, but Peter couldn't pin point it.

"Hi…" he said rather hesitantly, inhaling smoke from his cigarette.

"Are you going to class?" asked the boy curiously, looking more fascinated than ever.

Peter sighed, there was nothing more he wished for than to be left alone by the boy. He didn't feel like sparking up a conversation while having such a awful headache.

"Yeah"

"What classes are you taking?"

"Shouldn't you be in school right now? I mean it is a school day and everything"

The boy laughed, "Yes, but I wanted to look for my dad"

Peter frowned and he stood up straight, "Your dad goes here?"

A nervous laugh escaped from the boy's mouth and he played with his hair in an all too familiar way, "Apparently, yeah"

"Well don't you think your dad will be mad that you aren't in school?"

"He won't know, believe me"

With a sigh Peter continued to smoke his cigarette and looked away from the kid, "Ok"

"I'm Parker", the boy looked at Peter with what looked like admiration and kept his gaze steady. Peter didn't answer right away though, he took his time while he took another deep puff from his cigarette.

"Peter"

"I know, you're Peter Petrelli"

A new interest suddenly ignited in Peter and he focused his eyes on the boy with his full attention, "How do you know who I am?"

Parker licked his lips and moved his bangs out of the front of his face, "Claire told me who you were"

"How do you know Claire?" he asked suspiciously.

Parker took a deep breath and revealed his crooked smile. It was strange, but at that point Peter felt as if he was looking at himself at the age of 11, "She's my mom"

Peter couldn't help at start laughing, "You're kidding right? Claire's 18, how old are you? 11?"

Though Parker was visibly nervous, he didn't back down. He kept his eyes on Peter, "I'm 13. Right now she's 18, but where I come from she's thirty three"

"You expect me to believe that you're from the future?"

"Yes, I'm an empath, just like you"

With one last puff, Peter dropped the cigarette butt and stepped on it, "So you're one of us"

Parker nodded eagerly and smiled with that crooked smile of his. That was when something dawned upon Peter, strangely the air felt tighter than it had before and colder.

"You're an empath? So what can you do?"

Parker held his hand up and faced his palm up for Peter to see as fire ignited out of it. After a few seconds he brought his hand back down.

Peter swallowed and brought his stare up to Parker again, "You said you were looking for your dad?"

Parker nodded.

Something told him not to ask the next question that was surging through his head, but he couldn't help himself.

"So who's your dad?"

"You"

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

Art wasn't one of Claire's favorite classes, especially not at seven in the morning. She had ultimately signed up for the class though, because Peter had one at the same time and right across from her.

Whoever said California has the perfect weather had been wrong. She had a sweater, gloves, and a scarf on and still felt the chilly breeze trickle through to her skin. She knew she couldn't get sick, but if she had been able to Claire knew that she'd be lying in bed with a high fever and terribly swollen tonsils.

As she turned the corner of a building, she came face to face with Peter who was standing against the wall sucking on a cigarette with his eyes wide open and staring directly at the floor. Even though she was angry at him and wanted nothing more than to ignore him and keep on walking something told her not to. The look on his face was of pure horror, as if he'd just seen a walking dead man.

"Peter?" her words came out soothingly laced with care that she couldn't hide.

He didn't respond though, his eyes were transfixed on the same spot he'd been staring at before, not moving them at all.

"Peter?" she asked again, a little more persistent that time.

After a few seconds, he slowly turned to look at her, but the expression on his face had stayed. He looked plain out frightened, and it bothered Claire.

"Peter, what's wrong?"

His breathing was shallow and he swallowed, moving his bangs behind his ear.

"Nothing"

"Right, anyway…why are you smoking? I thought you were going to quit"

Peter laughed and took another puff before looking at Claire. He shook his head, "And I thought you were going to wait? You were the one that was so insistent on only being with me, and now you're fucking Jerod. That's really nice Claire"

Claire scoffed and crossed her arms, "It's not like it's any different with you and Simone. How you whisk away every weekend to go to New York and fuck her. So why should it be any different for me?"

He shook his head and dropped his cigarette to step on it, "I had to be delusional to think that this was going to work out. He's crazy"

"Who's crazy?"

"Parker"

"Who's Parker?"

With the rolling of his eyes, Claire started growing impatient. What had happened to the street empathetic person she had met so long ago in the hallway of her high school in Odessa? There was no way that the Peter standing in front of her could have been him. She missed the caring in his eyes and the way he use to look at her.

"No one"

"If he's no one then why did you mention him?"

Peter shrugged his shoulders and picked up his book that he had laid on the on the floor earlier. He turned around to start walking away, but Claire caught up with him

"Peter who's Parker? Some spy you have to keep an eye one me?"

She was persistent that he tell her, but as always Peter simply kept his mouth shut and completely ignored her.

"Talk to me dammit!"

He stopped, and turned to look at her, "I decided that I'm transferring to NYU, I'm going back to New York Claire. I hope you and Jerod will be very happy"

"Why are you being so fucking dumb Peter?"

With a blink of an eye he was gone, and Claire was stuck talking to herself instead. Anger flowed through her body and through every particle that existed in her. A few weeks ago she wouldn't have thought she was able to hate Peter, but he'd just proved her wrong. There was more hatred than anything else flowing through her and all she wanted to do was literally kill Peter. As much as she wanted to though, she knew it wouldn't be much help, especially since he couldn't die.

Claire scowled, and turned her heal to be face to face with Jerod. He wasn't exactly the person she wanted to talk to at the moment.

"What's wrong Claire?" he asked concerned.

"Nothing," the sharpness in her voice was evident.

Unlike his usual self though, Jerod didn't buy it at all. He gave her a few seconds then soothingly rubbed her shoulder. It was the gentlest touch, full of love and care that Claire had felt in the last month, and it surprised her it was coming from him and not Peter.

"I'm just mad at Peter"

Jerod nodded as if he understood and took her into a tight hug, "What happened? How did he get you mad?"

Claire sighed, "He's transferring back to NYU, he's not going to be here anymore"

"That's ok! You've got me Claire! We can take care of each other ok?"

A little giggle escaped from Claire's lips and Jerod couldn't help at kiss her. She thought it was sweet how no matter what she said or did to him he was always there right next to her to make her feel happy. It was something Peter hadn't done in a long time, he was more concerned with keeping his image as the innocent baby brother of Nathan.

She had started figuring out that he may have liked her, but he didn't want to jeopardize his place in the Petrelli family. He had told her multiple times that he didn't care about where he stood with them, but his actions as of late had completely told her differently.

There was just one thing that she needed to find out, before she permanently removed Peter Petrelli from her life, and that one thing was finding out exactly who Parker was.

_New York, New York. Peter Petrelli_

_Petrelli Mansion_

Peter sat alone in the veranda gazing out at the backyard as he usually did when he went to the mansion. There was something about it that engulfed him completely. It was unlike the taste of his mother, the whole landscaping just always seemed to make him feel at home, in contrast to the house.

"Peter, honey you're going to catch a cold like that," Simone wrapped her thin arms around his body, putting her chin on top of his shoulder.

He half smiled, and put his hand on top of hers, which was around his waist. Her hands were cold, and the texture of them was completely different to Claire's. After sighing and taking her out of his thoughts, he turned around to face Simone.

"Let's go inside"

There was something to peaceful about being with Simone that Peter felt. Perhaps that was the way things were meant to happen? Just maybe he was destined to be with Simone, and not Claire. After all they were the same age, and he couldn't deny that she had been his first love.

As they entered into the formal living room, Parker was standing staring straight at Peter and Simone.

"Who are you?" asked Parker looking subtlety irate that Peter was holding hands with Simone. .

Simone frowned and looked to Peter for the answer, but noticed he was staring back at Parker with annoyance. She turned back to answer, but there was something that was tickling her about the both of them. The resemblance between Peter and Parker was uncanny. Their eyes were a different color, but besides that, it was is she was looking at Peter when he was a child.

"I'm Simone…" she said rather hesitantly.

"Parker what are you doing here?"

Peter wasn't at all pleased at seen him, not after what he had told him in California.

"You said I could come back so we could talk!" he yelled, and as he did Simone noticed his crooked lip.

There was something peculiar about the way that Parker was looking at Peter. Like a child who was yelling at their parent, upset over something.

"You didn't tell me when you were going to come back Parker"

Simone spoke up, "What's going on here?"

A sigh escaped from Parker's lips and he turned around obviously bothered by her presence. Peter turned to Simone and smiled weakly, "Can I have some time alone with him? I promise I'll explain things later"

Simone nodded, even though the curiosity of the whole situation was eating away at her.

Peter walked up to Parker, and moved his head to the door signaling for him to follow Peter. On the way out he grabbed his coat and borrowed one of Monty's jackets. It seemed peculiar to him that he felt some type of responsibility in the kid's health.

Once they were out of the house and both semi warm in the confines of the jackets, Parker looked up to Peter, "Who was she?"

"My girlfriend"

Parker gave Peter a glowering look and continued to walk side by side with him.

"I thought you loved my mom"

Peter hailed a cab and opened the door for Parker to get in. with much hesitation Parker obliged and got into the cab, and Peter followed him.

"Where are we going?"

"Do you like ice cream?" asked Peter looking at the streets as they passed them by.

"I guess." There wasn't much interest in Parker's voice, Peter noticed.

Once they got to their destination, Peter paid the cab driver and got out, where they were face to face with an ice cream creamery.

"You know, where I'm from, this turns into a bookstore"

Peter frowned, "Coldstone? That's a shame"

Peter noticed that Parker started coughing involuntarily, and upon closer inspection noticed, he looked paler than the last time he had seen him.

"Are you sick?"

"No, I never get sick"

They made their way inside and ordered ice cream. It humored Peter that Parker got the exact same thing he got, it was weird, but at the same time he couldn't help at feel more paternal feelings.

"Parker, how is the future?"

Parker put a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth and swallowed it in one gulp, holding his head as he got a brain freeze.

"What do you mean?"

Peter took a huge breath and moved his ice cream around with his spoon, "How's Claire?"

With a shrug of his shoulder's Parker dug into his ice cream again, "She's depressed, but I'm use to it by now. I live with grandpa"

Peter's eyebrows rose involuntarily, not sure if he meant Noah, or Nathan.

"And who's your grandpa?"

"Nathan, and grandma Heidi."

There was something strange about the situation in the future that had Peter in question, "Where am I then?"

"You're dead. That's why I came back to meet you"

Peter's stomach dropped, and he moved his bangs from in front of his face. He wasn't exactly surprised, he'd be lying if he had said he didn't expect it.

"When do I die?"

"When I'm two"

Suddenly all the information that Parker was giving him, started to overwhelm Peter. He wasn't prepared to die in just a short amount of years, not when Sylar was still out somewhere threatening the lives of millions. He didn't want to leave his family in a dangerous world with out him. The fact was, he didn't want to die.

"Why is Claire depressed?" he asked changing the topic of the conversation. He had a mild idea of why she was despondent, but hoped that it wasn't for the reason he thought.

Parker scrunched his face in concentration and looked at Peter, "They've never told me exactly why, but she's been depressed for as long as I can remember. My uncle Monty told me it was because you died, but we're not really allowed to talk about you"

With a shake of his head, Peter scoffed. He knew exactly why they didn't like to talk about him. He'd disgraced the family name by getting Claire pregnant, it was only natural for them to react like that.

"So…you're sure I'm your dad?"

Parker nodded his head profusely, with a shocked look.

"Mom has always said it was you. She told me to tell you that she was sorry."

Peter's heart fastened, and he swallowed, surprisingly beset by the whole situation.

"She sent you?"

It started sprinkling outside, and Peter watched as the tiny droplets fell. People outside started running in to get away from the rain.

"No, she didn't want me to meet you, but I told her I was going to anyway. So she told me where I could find you"

An impulsive idea ran through Peter's thoughts, and he looked over to Parker and smiled. Parker frowned at his smile, not quite use to seeing Peter with a grin plastered on his face.

"Take me to her"

His response wasn't something Peter was expecting. Parker shook his head, and continued eating his ice cream.

"Why the hell not?"

"I don't think you'll want to see her. She's not the Claire you knew. I've seen mom when she was young, she's not like that at all anymore"

"Parker, take me to see her"

With a huge sigh and one last spoonful of ice cream, Parker got up. Peter followed him into the rain as they left Coldstone. They both walked into an alley and Parker grabbed Peter's hand.

"Don't get scared ok?"

Peter couldn't help at laugh, and he closed his eyes as they teleported through time into the same alley, only much cleaner. The streets weren't as crowded and he noticed that there was less people walking down the streets than in 2008.

"Grandpa passed a law that said no overcrowding the city. He had millions of people move out of New York city into New York Two"

An apparent grimace appeared on Peter's face and he crossed his arms, "What's New York Two?"

"It was a city that was built over water, in the Atlantic Ocean. Mom lives there…in a hospital"

Peter's eyes had been wandering the lonely city, but as Parker had said that his gaze shot straight back to look at him with new found confusion.

"Why is she in a hospital? She can't get sick, she regenerates"

"She's not sick physically, but ever since you died she had a nervous breakdown every year"

A knot formed inside Peter's throat, and he swallowed to remove it but everything was slowly catching up to him. The thought of Claire being shipped away by Nathan to a mental institute didn't surprise him. It was something that his mom had probably advised him to do, but Peter couldn't help at feel responsible for it. He hadn't been there for Claire when she had most needed him, and now she was suffering more than ever.

Parker held on to Peter's hand again, and with a blink of an eye the stood in the garden of a hospital. The floor they were standing on was made out of thick glass, and under it he could see the water sway back and forth. As he looked around he could see all the patients in white robes walking around with rather empty expressions on their faces.

That was when he caught sight of Claire. She had cut her beautiful long blond hair to a shoulder length. It was impeccable though, and he could tell that she took her time perfecting it. She was looking over a flower garden and watering each plant delicately. She too wore white. It was a short gown, with a white robe.

"Mom!" Called Parker grabbing her attention, and as she did she dropped what she had been holding and stared at them with a blank expression.

Parker walked up to her and took her into a hug. Peter walked closer to them and noticed that she hadn't aged a day. Her skin was exactly the same.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him rather calmly.

The truth was he didn't know why he was there. A part of him was curious to see the future Claire, but the other part of him that that if he saw the future there might be a way of preventing his death, it was selfish, but he felt it needed to be done.

"I came to see you Claire"

She shook her head, "You're dead. You died. He killed you, I saw. I called. He came. He blocked your powers"

"Mom I brought dad from the past, he wanted to see you"

The word dad gave Peter a sour taste in his mouth, it sounded so alien to him. Yet it was the truth, he had fathered Parker, and he was slowly starting to grow on him.

"Ah if it isn't my baby brother, reincarnated"

Peter frowned, and slowly turned to come face to face to an aged Nathan.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So here's Chapter nine. It's really odd that the direction i was headed in is completely different...oh well! I hope you guys liked this chapter. it was a bit challenging to write. I don't personally think it's that good lol. Please review! 


	11. Chapitre Dix

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Dix_

_New York, New York. Peter Petrelli_

It was unusually cold. Peter kept his eyes closed, but could feel goose bumps growing on his arms. He could feel that he was lying on a mattress, but it wasn't his own. It was hard, and scratchy, unlike the one that he had in his apartment.

Slowly, he started opening his eyes, and realized he was in a jail cell. It reminded him of the time when he'd gotten arrested in Odessa, right after he had saved Claire. He sat up and couldn't help at feel lightheaded. The lights in the room seemed to go in and out of focus, and a strong drowsy feeling swept over him.

Peter rubbed his face to help him wake up, but nothing really helped. The thing that terrified him the most was that he hadn't felt sick or drowsy since he had met Claire. Claire's power should have been able to help him feel better, but it wasn't.

Where ever he was, Peter knew he didn't want to stay for long. After a little difficulty he managed to stand up, and walk towards a wall. He put his hands up against it, but when he tried to use his powers to phase through the wall, it didn't work. Next he tried the power he'd gotten from Hiro. He squinted his eyes, but again, nothing happened, when he opened them he was standing in the same position he had been at before.

Panic started washing over his body, and his heartbeat fastened. He was trapped, and there was no way out. The only person that he knew was able to keep him from using his powers was the Haitian, but he wasn't around either.

There was a noise at the door of his cell, and he looked to see Mohinder walking in.

"Mohinder…you died" Peter almost whispered.

Mohinder closed the door behind him, and set a tray that he had brought on Peter's desk. He smiled at Peter and beckoned for him to sit down on his cot.

"I was brought to the future Peter, I never died. My death was only a cover up. I was needed in the future"

Peter frowned, and watched as Mohinder filled a needle with some liquid substance, "What am I doing here? My powers…they're gone"

"I've giving you medication to prevent you from trying to escape Peter. We need you at the moment, and can't risk letting you go. I'm sorry we had to do it this way, but you'll understand"

Mohinder set the needle down, and took Peter's left arm looking for a vain. As much as Peter wanted to stop him, something in the back of his mind eased him, telling him it was ok to let Mohinder continue. Peter turned over and saw Matt Parkman on the other side of a glass window.

"What are you doing?" asked Peter softly.

"I'm injecting you with an endorphin stabilizer. It will maintain your powers, but make you feel comfortable at the same time"

As Mohinder took the needle out of his arm, Peter frowned. He felt a wave of comfort fill him

"Huh? What does it do?"

Mohinder put the needle down and got another needle, that was empty. He stabbed Peter's arm and started collecting blood.

"It's going to slow you down Peter. Just rest, all we need is your blood. You won't be difficult will you?"

Peter's eyes closed, and he felt himself slowly laying down on his cot. Sleep started filling his body, and leisurely his eyes started closing.

"No I wont be," Peter let out.

After a few minutes though, he was out, and asleep.

**Later**

"Peter"

He heard a soft voice call his name. it was a voice he had heard before, but he couldn't remember.

He forced his eyes open to see a young boy standing over him, and looking at him curiously. Then he remembered, it was Parker. Peter felt a rush of mixed emotions run through him, but he just laid on his cot, breathing in deeply.

"What's going on Parker?"

Peter carefully sat up, and noticed a needle was sticking out of his arm, filling up a bag that was by his bed with his blood. He looked around the room, realizing that he was trapped.

Images of the hospital where Claire was at started flashing through him, and he remembered being stabbed in the head by Nathan.

"I'm sorry I had to lie to you Peter. But grandpa said we needed you, or else we're all going to die"

Peter yawned, and tried to stretch his eyes open, but the medicine that Mohinder had given him, definitely was doing its job of keeping him drowsy. He would have been furious if it wasn't for the fact, that indeed as Mohinder had said, he was very comfortable.

"What's going on? Why is Mohinder taking my blood? And why did you lie to me?"

Parker inhaled deeply and sat on Peter's desk chair.

"In 2013 there's a virus that gets loose. Similar to AIDS, and there's no cure for it. It slowly started killing off People like us at first, but then it crossed over and started killing regular people with out abilities. Dr. Suresh says that because they don't' have the unique genetic code we have, it kills them off easily. And at first, his own blood was the only cure for the virus, which he calls the Shanti Virus. But after a while, his blood didn't work anymore, so we thought mom's blood would work, but there's something about her state of mind, and since she's sick, it doesn't seem to work either. So both grandpa and Dr. Suresh thought I'd for sure be able to be the cure, but as it turns out, since I've been exposed to it for years, I'm immune to it, but I can't cure it either. It just makes me sick sometimes, but it can't kill me. The same with mom, it can't kill her, but she can't cure the virus"

Peter frowned and sat up straightly, looking around the room then at Parker, "What makes him think I'm the cure?"

Parker looked straight into Peter's eyes and didn't take his gaze off him, but he also didn't say anything. Something about that told Peter that it wasn't good news.

"He doesn't know. You're just the last hope"

There was a noise at Peter's door again, and the door went flying across the room to hit the wall. Both Peter and Parker looked over to see Sylar walk through the doors. He looked just the same as the last time Peter had seen him, at his wedding.

"Sylar…"

"Oh my old friend! Peter Petrelli!"

The medicine Mohinder had given him suddenly vanished in his blood stream and he sat up sharper than he had felt the whole day. He stood in front of Parker protectively, "What do you want Sylar?"

"Oh nothing…just to kill you, you know? Again."

For a moment his breathing paused, and he swallowed before asking, "What are you talking about Sylar, you never killed me"

Sylar let out a malicious dry laugh, and threw his head back in a daunting way. After a few seconds he turned his head down to point at Parker with his eyes, "But didn't little Parker here tell you how you died in the future?"

Parker bit his lip, looking at Peter frightened, "I'm sorry"

"Oh he didn't tell you? Well let me do it then! You see when little Parker here turned one, I killed you, one shot through the head. Now you see, the bad thing is because I shot you, that I could take your ability, so here I am. All I need is your ability Peter, and I'll let Parker go, or we can do this the hard way. Its up to you"

"The future and the past aren't written in stone Sylar. You may have killed me in your future, but it's not going to happen now, and you aren't touching Parker"

With a shake of his head, and one slight movement of his hand, Sylar had Peter pinned to the wall with his throat in hand. It left peter unable to move, and gasping for air. It took all the strength in Peter to turn his eyesight to Parker.

_'Go!'_

If Parker was an empath like he'd told Peter, he knew that he'd be able to hear his thoughts. Sure enough Parker heard them, but shook his head furiously.

Parker turned to Sylar, and balled all his frustration and anger into one electric ball and without hesitation sent Sylar against the opposite wall, taking him completely off guard. Peter fell to the ground gasping for air, but a small smirk appeared on his lips, "not bad"

They both got too caught up in the moment though, because the next thing they knew Sylar had gotten back up and thrown Peter telekinetically against the wall again, banging him continuously until he dropped him on to the floor, where he didn't move.

Parker looked in shocked knowing that Sylar was looking to strike him next. He took a step back, expecting to be hit with his own ball of electricity. Instead though, the complete opposite happened.

Behind Sylar, someone stabbed a needle into him, and Sylar's expression changed from a devious smile, to a terrified clouded scowl. His eyes slowly closed and he fell down first on his knees, and continued to hit the floor head first with a loud thud.

_San Diego, California. Claire Petrelli_

Two weeks, three days, and fourteen hours. That's how long Peter had now been missing. Claire had been keeping track, ever since Nathan had called her to say that a little boy walked out of the house with him, and he'd never gone back. Nathan had asked her if he'd gone there, but she hadn't seen him at all. Nathan had even had Matt Parkman ask Molly to look for him, but she hadn't been able to find him either. Which was what really scared Claire, Molly should have been able to find Peter, and if she couldn't, that only meant one thing, but Claire didn't want to admit that Peter was dead.

Peter had her power to regenerate, so Claire didn't think it was possible for Peter to die, not after exploding. So Claire worried frantically about the whereabouts of Peter, every waking moment of the day.

Christmas was only two weeks away, and the thought of not having him there nearly broke her heart, even as much as she was furious with him.

"Claire what are you thinking about?" asked Jerod putting his arm around her soothingly.

"Nothing." She couldn't tell him the truth and say it was because she missed Peter. He knew that Claire and Peter were close but she didn't think that he'd understand why she missed him so much.

"Claire what's wrong? You've been depressed ever since Peter left. Do you want a cookie? I can make snicker doodles if you want me too?"

A laugh escaped from Claire, "Thanks Jerod, but I don't think I like snicker doodles"

Jerod let a scoff escape from him and he put a hand on his chest protectively, "everyone likes snicker doodles! I think you do, you just don't know that you do"

Claire stood up from the bench, that she had been sitting at, and collected her books, "Right Jerod, I'm sure I just _love_ snicker doodles"

There was a tiny wind that swept her suddenly and a boy appeared in front of her wheezing, and trying to catch his breath. The way the boy's hair hung in front of him, caught her eye, and for a moment she thought of Peter. It could have been him in youth, had it none been for the exception of his piercing green eyes.

"Mom, we need you," the boy croaked out.

Claire looked around, there was no one there except for her and Jerod.

The boy unexpectedly collapsed, and Claire did the only thing that came to her mind, she caught him, and somehow managed to fall down with him on to the pavement.

Her eyes met Jerod's, which were beyond confused.

The weight of the boy was a lot compared to hers. He was slightly taller than Claire, but weighed her down. Unconsciously she moved his bangs out of his face, just as she had done so many times for Peter. It was then that she saw the uncanny resemblance; there was no doubt, that somehow he was connected to Peter.

Jerod helped Claire get the boy up, and he put him over his shoulder, "What are we going to do?"

Claire bit her lip shrugging, "I think he's in trouble Jerod, and I know he's connected to me somehow"

"How? Why did he call you mom?" asked Jerod flopping his arms around frantically, he didn't do well in stressful situations.

"I don't know Jerod! Let's just get him to my apartment, and when he wakes up we'll ask him ok? That's all we can do right now"

It was clear that Jerod didn't want to do that, but he nodded and started walking towards Claire's car with the boy over his shoulders. He stopped about halfway to the car though, and turned back to look at Claire in question, "Don't we have classes to go to though?"

Claire rolled her eyes and scowled.

Jerod took the hint, "Geez, it was just a question…gosh no need to get all mad at me"

"Jerod sometimes the questions you ask are just so pointless"

….

Jerod had gotten the boy as far as Claire's couch and dropped him down in a less than graceful way.

"Jerod, you could have hurt him! Why did you do that?"

He shrugged his shoulders, but Claire didn't turn to see, she merely rushed to the boy's side and looked to see if he was ok. There were no bruises, no sign of any thing that could possibly had been wrong with him, yet there he was passed out on her couch.

Her eyes guided through out his body, still trying to inspect him, but nothing was wrong. She looked back up at his bangs, and gingerly moved the out of his face, they even felt them same against her finger tips. Claire kept caressing his bangs, letting a little smile grow on her lips.

After a few minutes, the boy started stirring, and Claire removed her hand from his silky hair. The boy fluttered his eyes open, and she saw his piercing green eyes again, they mirrored her own.

She didn't know who he was, but she knew there was a connection between them, something that tied them together. A smile grew on the boys face, and gave away his crooked lip, at which point Claire felt her heart stopped.

"Who are you?" she couldn't help at ask, the curiosity killing her by this point.

He swallowed, and the smile faded, only leaving a scared expression upon his face. His eyes traveled from Claire to Jerod, "Dad?"

Jerod stumbled back and fell down, still making his way away from the boy, "Claire he's scaring me"

Claire tried not to let her self yell at Jerod. She understood that he was stupid, but it was getting to the point where it wasn't even cute anymore, it was pathetic. She turned back to look at the boy, "Who are you?"

"My name's Parker"

"I'm Claire"

"I know…I know you"

She crossed her arms and frowned, "how? How can you know who I am if I've never met you?"

"You're my mom. I'm from the future, and we need your help"

Claire had never had the air nearly knocked out of her, she had never understood the expression, but she did now. She knew it was possible that he was from the future, but if she was Parker's mom, then it could only mean one other thing, which she refused to accept.

"is this a joke?"

Parker let out a groan, "That's exactly how Peter reacted! You both are like me, why don't you believe me? Is it kind of obvious by the resemblance?"

Jerod took that moment to speak up, "So I'm your dad? But you don't look anything like me"

Parker rolled his eyes and smiled, "I know, you and mom raised me for a while, but you aren't my real dad"

Jerod scratched his head, inching closer to them, but still keeping his distance all the same.

"Look mom, Peter needs you. I took him to the future, and now he's going to die, and I can't save him, and you in the future can't either. Your healing can't help others anymore, you're the only one that can help him"

Claire's heart stopped, and she felt the air constrict in her lungs, "What happened to him?"

"I can't explain it, we just have to go now, if he dies, we die mom"

There was no way to know for sure that Parker was telling the truth, Claire knew that. But she sure as hell could feel him telling her the truth. Parker was her son, and she knew Peter was his dad, and he was beautiful, he brought out the best in both of them. For a few moments, it started to sink in, and she dwelled in it. The urge to hug him consumed her, was this the baby she had lost at Peter's wedding?

"No mom, I'm not that baby. You're going to have me next year"

Emotion took over Claire, and she clasped her hands over her mouth as she laughed nervously. Her eyes began to get watery and Parker took her in for a hug, and Claire accepted, it was weird, but yet it seemed ok at the same time.

Claire had never felt such a paternal feeling as she felt right now, hugging Parker, it was surreal.

Somehow it ensured her that she'd be happy with Peter one day, and this would be the outcome of it, and that was fine with Claire, there was nothing more she wanted, than to be with Peter.

"Let's go" she whispered to him.

Parker nodded his head and with a blink of an eye they were gone, leaving Jerod sitting in Claire living room bewildered by what had just happened.

When Claire opened her eyes they were both standing over a glass floor, that showed water beneath them. She grabbed onto Parker's shirt scared at first, thinking the glass floor would crack beneath them, but it felt sturdy.

"It's ok mom, I'll explain everything after we get Peter"

Claire nodded, but frowned suddenly filled with questions to ask Parker, "Wait…you said Jerod and I raised you for a while, and you keep calling Peter by his name. I just don't' get it"

"Mom please just trust me, I'll make everything Clear once we save Peter"

Parker held her arm once more, and Claire instinctively closed her eyes, fearing that they were going to time travel again, but instead they were flying, up in the air, and away from the glass floor. She frowned and turned to look at Parker, "You can fly too?"

A wide grin spread on his face, "Yeah, I'm an empath, just like Peter"

He _was_ perfect. Parker was an empath, just like Peter, there wasn't anything else she could ever ask for.

Parker landed them on top of a building, and Claire frowned, "where are we?"

"This is the new Company building. Everyone knows about us now. They're a part of the government now, they monitor us, we each have a card similar to a social security card, to keep track of us. This is where Peter is"

He guided her through a door, that revealed a long stair case that seemed to be never ending.

Parker opened his mouth to say something to Claire, but before he had the chance to, he was struck from the back and fell forward, falling flat against the hard cement floor.

There was a giggle behind her, and Claire turned to see a blonde girl in early teens just like Parker. The way that she composed herself gave off a sinister innocent aura, which confused Claire because it was so contradicting.

"Hi! I'm Elle! I was suppose to take you guys down to see Mohinder, but gosh its so fun zap him when he least suspects it!"

"Who are you?"

"Sorry _Claire Bear_, but as much as I want to stay and chat, and talk and stuff Mohinder is being so annoying about needing to 'save' Peter, so we have to go"

Claire's heart stopped, "What's wrong with Peter? What Happened?"

Elle giggled again and moved her hair back, "Didn't Parker tell you that Sylar killed him?"

* * *

Author's Note: OK! sorry it took me a while to update, i just really have not been feeling motivated at all. I feel like i might have to wrap up this story soon, before I loose interest. i feel like its become very poorly written and Peter just keeps getting on my nerves! lol thank you for those of you who continue to review, it really means alot to me! 


	12. Chapitre Onze

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_Chapitre Onze_

_New York, New York, Claire Petrelli. _

A million and a half things were surging through Claire's head as she was being led to the room where dead Peter was. _He was dead. _Even as those words formed in her thoughts, it fashioned an uncomfortable feeling in her throat. She had never wanted to see him dead again, not since the day she had removed the piece of glass from his skull. That had been two years ago, and as she walked through the door into the gray room, the familiar feeling of that day crept over her once more.

It didn't seem to make a difference that they were in a different life time now, that everything between them had happened, or that Claire had promised herself to be mad at him. No, all that came to her at that moment were tears and the necessity to be his hero again, just like that day so many years ago at the Petrelli mansion. The day she had removed the piece of glass from the part in his skull, had been a life changing day for the both of them. It had marked that they needed each other, that they belonged with each other, and that it was destiny no matter what way they looked at it.

The way Peter had looked at her the moment he had woken up from his death, had been breathtaking, she still remembered it. It had been a gaze that had crept into her soul and filled her up with hope, just knowing that no matter what happened, no matter who died, he wouldn't die on her, and she could rest assured of that.

It was for all those reasons and more that when Claire finally lay her eyes on dead Peter, that she broke down again. There he lay on a small hospital bed, with a white thin sheet over him, is if it was final. It angered her that they had the audacity to just cover him up like any other cadaver that they'd encounter. All of whom resided outside the door had known Peter for years, and she knew that they knew as well as her, that he couldn't die, not like that.

Claire carefully came up next to the bed, and took a long shallow breath. She knew in a few minutes time he'd be fine, that he'd be back to her alive, but it still unnerved her to see him like that. Claire hated seeing his vulnerability take over him, and show her that her hero was at times helpless himself.

All the anger and frustration she'd felt for him earlier that day, in the world they lived in was gone, and replaced by sorrow and love. And though seeing him dead like this broke her, it also reminded her that Peter Petrelli did not belong with Simone, Candice, or Jamie. No, Peter Petrelli belonged to her, because Claire, was the only person in the world that could bring him back to life.

With a trembling hand, Claire slowly removed the sheet that covered his face. It merely looked like he was sleeping to her, a peaceful sleep, yet there was no breathing coming out of him. Claire instinctively caressed his face, and tried not to let a threatening sob out. He was going to be ok, she tried to tell herself, Peter would be fine. It didn't bother Claire at that moment that Nathan was staring or not, he'd have to know by now that Peter and she were in love.

Peter's skin was tinged with gray, coordinating with the walls of the room. His lips weren't his natural shade of pink, but instead blue, and were the only clues that gave away his true current state. While most people would have found it atrocious, sickening, Claire bent and kissed him, bringing her moistened soft warm lips to his cold ones just feeling love. She could feel the stares on her back, digging into her, but as she felt the small response coming back from Peter, she said the hell with whoever thought it was wrong.

Somewhere in between their kiss, Peter withdrew from it and gasped, bringing air to his own lungs. Claire stepped back from the kiss and watched intently as he started coughing and wheezing while he managed to sit up. Before looking at her, he searched the room with fearful eyes, as if trying to understand where he was with clear fright in them. His eyes finally landed on Claire, and grew with a questioning glow to them.

"Claire", he panted, clearly jovial to see her standing before him. All she could do back was smile, through her glistening eyes full of tears. Somehow his face had become exhilarated and he grew a crooked grin, that she knew only he could give her, just like happiness. For a few moments that's all they did, share a look of contentment just to be at peace with each other, to be back to where it all began and ended.

Their blissful reunion was broken though, by the sound of Nathan walking into the room. They both mechanically looked up to face him, but were surprised to see that his face wasn't overcome with loathe or rage, but instead filled with weariness and defeat. Peter and Claire heard the exasperated sigh that escaped his lips and watched as in a none Nathan way his nerves seemed to get the best of him.

"I always knew it, always did", his eyes moved from Peter to Claire, both giving him a frightened look back. Claire bit her lip, and pretended not to understand, while all the while knowing exactly what he meant. She had been too blinded by her love for Peter to see that it was obvious to everyone around them. Claire thought they had both always been so careful as to not give anything away the true meaning of their relationship, but now in retrospect could see that they had both failed miserably. Some part of her regretted what they had done, she had enough moral values in her to understand it was wrong. But the most part of her had stopped feeling guilty the day she had come back to New York city to find Peter at the Petrelli mansion after a long stay in Paris.

Through all the reassurance she gave herself, and explanations that their illicit love was ok, was why she was surprised when Peter finally spoke up to address Nathan, "I'm sorry Nathan".

The truth was that she wasn't sorry, not at all. It may have meant she would burn in hell so be it, to live a life of bliss alongside Peter would have been worth it for her. But as always, she could see that Peter's loyalty lied next to Nathan. It stunned her how Peter could feel no remorse while fucking her and knowing she was Nathan's daughter, yet as they stood in front of him glow with mortification and infamy.

All too soon, the hurt and anger he had caused her weeks ago came flooding back in. now that Claire was sure he'd be ok, she felt it was alright to be angry again. She consciously moved away from the bed, giving them an arms length of space between them. Claire suddenly felt like she had no reason for being there. Her skin started realizing that the temperature of the room had rising and grew goosebumps on them. Claire shivered and hugged her arms protectively from the cold of the room, eyeing the floor in front of her.

"Claire what's wrong?" Peter had put his hand on her arm markedly concerned for her well being. She felt her head give a shake, though she had been sure she herself had done it, and looked up to the both of them trying not to let her smile falter, "Nothing. I'll give you guys time to talk. I'm going to be outside"

She knew Peter wanted her there, she knew that he didn't want to face Nathan's bashing alone, but at the moment, it had all become too much for her to bare. To know that through all they had gone through Peter was sorry, it just hurt her. It hurt her like all the times he had before, unbeknownst to him.

So she did the only thing she could to hide what she was truly feeling, and brushed past Nathan and out the door. It actually exhilarated her to know that she'd had enough courage to walk out on them. Yet as soon as she thought she had been safe from inquiring eyes, a pair of green ones that mirrored her own caught her.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Parker stood before her and looked at her just as Peter would. His whole demeanor mimicked Peter, and brought her back to the reality she would have to face soon. Parker stood in front of her with one hand in his pocket, and the other one brushing back his stubborn bang that swayed in front of his eyes.

Claire took a deep breath. She didn't want to hurt him, that was the last thing on her mind. But it was all just beginning to be too much for her, and having Parker call her mom really freaked her out. Somehow she wished she hadn't known about him, hadn't been told there would be a Parker, for now she felt trapped. It was inevitable that her and Peter would have a child, since meeting Parker, they had no choice.

"Parker can you take me home?"

_New York, New York. Peter Petrelli. _

The door shut behind Claire and Peter swallowed, knowing that whether he liked it or not, he still had to deal with Nathan. It wasn't fair that the universe had done this to them, it wasn't fair that he had to explain to Nathan that he was wrongfully in love with his daughter.

How could he possibly begin to explain that Claire was what fueled him to save the world? That her very existence was what had changed him from a boy to a man? It was through Claire that Peter had finally realized what was most important to him, and that was his love for her and his family, but above all other, her. It was still important for him to save the world, whenever it needed saving, but if he had to choose, the answer would always be clear, because a world with out Claire, was no world Peter Petrelli wanted to be in, even if it meant that he couldn't be with her in it.

Peter coughed, still feeling his organs trying to successfully readjust to being alive once more. He had already died a few times before, but he still couldn't get use to the feeling of it all. The way that he could feel things that usually shouldn't have been felt truly freaked him out. Peter could feel his blood surging through to his heart and pumping it, bringing air to his lungs and having it circulate his body.

It was his body that he was too busy paying attention of, that he neglected to realize Nathan was still staring at him, with a mournful face. In all the years that they had both lived together Peter had never once witnessed Nathan shed a tear. Yet as he stood before him, Peter could have sworn that there was a glossy look to Nathan's eyes.

"I never got to say goodbye to you Peter, I'm sorry," Nathan's voice was airy and trembled a little. It was then that Peter realized what he meant. To Peter, all this hadn't happened yet, Nathan and him still spoke, they were both still alive, but right now, in Nathan's time, he was already gone. Even as the words processed through his mind, he swallowed, trying to live with the fact that a few short years, he'd be dead.

"I'll make sure to remind you to say goodbye every time then," Peter tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a forced scoff than anything else. He didn't want to die, not really, he had prepared himself that night at Kirby plaza, but the thought of dying now seemed alien to him, wasn't he suppose to live forever with Claire?

"You can change things Peter. The future isn't written in stone", those words rand true in Peter's mind. It was true, that night at Kirby Plaza, Peter and the rest of those involved with saving the world had proven that the future wasn't written in stone.

Peter wondered to himself if in his other lifetime he'd already had this conversation with Nathan, and had still died, maybe things _were _written in stone and they were living it just as it had to be done. Was it possible? What he was thinking at that moment, had he already thought it? He shook his head and cleared it, he didn't want to overwhelm himself with tedious questions. He coughed again, and turned his head up to see Claire still standing on the other side of the glass window conversing with Parker.

"Does she know I'm dead?' his voice quivered through the cold of the room. Nathan's head turned to look at Claire, and slowly looked back at him, giving him a defeated look. Peter knew it would come to this, deciding between Nathan and Claire, and while he had thought it hard since the minute he knew Claire and him were related, it wasn't anymore, because it had always been Claire.

"Claire from the past? No she doesn't know the future you is dead. Don't worry we won't tell her. Peter…why?" there was a note of exasperation in Nathan's voice, as if he had been waiting a long time to ask the question that killed him everyday.

Peter took his time with this question. How could he begin to answer a question he himself didn't know the answer for. There was no way to say that they were just in love, even as fucked up as it was. Claire was the person that believed in him the most, even when he himself doubted it all. Claire was his other half, his constant thought all day.

"I don't know Nathan, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I had to do this to you, but I'm going to love Claire until the day I die" with his confession out, Peter wasn't scared anymore, he felt liberated. Telling Nathan exactly how he felt made him finally feel at peace with himself. And there it was again, the silence that could kill conversations and bring out true feelings.

Nathan turned his head and sighed as he looked at the two figures still standing on the other side of the glass. Peter frowned and wondered what Nathan would say next, it wasn't like him to stay quiet and not speak his mind to Peter.

"Parker…he's not Jerod's, he's yours. Claire always tried to say he was Jerod's, and I tried lying to myself, saying he was. But, one look at him, and it's like looking at you Peter," the way Nathan said it, was as if it half broke his heart, and filled him with joy at the same time. Peter knew Nathan was torn in what to feel for Parker, and looking at Parker himself, Peter could see that he was just as confused with his own being.

A tiny smile spread on Peter's lips. Parker mirrored him to such a degree that Peter would have never thought possible. He remembered being Parker's age, and feeling just as alien in his own skin, wondering how he had ended up with a family that was so different than him. One look, and Peter could tell that, that was exactly how Parker felt.

"He's a good kid Peter, a dreamer, just like you. He's very good with Ma too, she has a special soft spot for him, always has, ever since you died"

It was then that it all came over him, he would never know the boy he fathered. He would never be able to say he was his father, and care for him and Claire. It plagued him with helplessness and an irony that the universe was some how getting back at him for going against everything and having wonderful little moments of happiness with Claire. He would ultimately pay with his death, and leave the girl he loved behind with his spawn.

In that moment, Peter finally broke down, heaving a huge cry. He covered his face with his hands, and finally let all his built up anguish out. His shoulders shuddered with his sobs, and he faintly felt Nathan wrap his arms around Peter, letting him cry onto his chest. Nathan put one hand on the back of Peter's head, and held him just like many years ago, when he'd been foolish enough to cry over someone as insignificant as Simone.

It seemed like an eternity until Peter pulled back and recovered from his outburst. Neither of them said anything, but just stood there trying to repair the damage that had been done years ago. Peter had never been accustomed to ask Nathan for anything, he had put himself through school, supported himself, but now he felt compelled to ask, "Take care of him, and Claire Nathan, Please"

Later

_New York, New York. Claire Petrelli._

After much deliberation and annoyance from herself, Claire had finally decided to let Peter take her back to their time and to San Diego. She had hated how natural it felt to wrap her arms around him as they said goodbye to the future and ventured into the past, where they belonged.

When she opened her eyes again they were in front of her condo by the beach and night time had taken over. Claire had instantly taken a step back from Peter, and watched him as he kept his now saddened eyes on her. She knew he was looking at her like that because he had chosen Nathan, and now pitied her for still loving him, she was sure of that.

"Claire…I'm sorry" and he honestly did look sorry, he was so overwrought with emotion that it just showed in every single detail about him.

She wouldn't break down, she had promised herself not to cry over him anymore. Peter didn't deserve her tears anymore, he never had, because he hadn't chosen her. Claire had always known in the end that she would come second to Nathan, he had always been his brother, but Claire was just a girl.

"Don't be sorry Peter, it was always going to be this way anyway, right? You choosing your relationship with Nathan over me, always"

As she said that though, Peter laughed and cupped her face, pulling her towards him. At that point Claire didn't have enough energy in her to stop him, she just let herself be taken. Their kiss was gentle and slow, and everything Claire loved about Peter.

Once they Pulled apart he kept her face close to his and a tiny smirk spread on his lips, "I chose you Claire, until the day I die, I chose you"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ok! i took a little more time to write this because i realized that this (although a sequel to Restricted Ardor) is my first Paire story, so it's really sorta special to me. I wanted to get it back into the right path, and to be just as good as restricted ardor. so please do tell me if you thought this chapter was or wasn't up to par! This could be the end, the way i left it could be classified as the finale of it, but if you'd like to see more chapters written and the rest of the story please do say so! i love reviews and as i've said countless times, they motivate me to write more! 


	13. Preview

Author's Note:

If you go to my livejournal page you'll se a preview for Desole :D


	14. Chapitre Douze

**D**é**s**o**l**é

_San Diego, California. Peter Petrelli_

There was no need in telling Claire what would happen in the future, why mortify her with the dark future that awaited them both? Hurting her that night would not do any good. It was cruel how the world seemed to be gaining up on them, forcing them to go in separate directions, but not tonight. Tonight Peter would dedicate himself solely to Claire, and ensure that she had one piece of him to keep forever, even after his death.

With a soft touch to her cheek, Peter closed the gap between them and took her lips into his once more, savoring the sweet taste that penetrated throughout her lips. There was nothing like kissing her lips, no others were as soft as hers. Simone's were big, yes, but they weren't as soft, and he couldn't bite into them with the security that she'd be ok. No, Claire was made for him, and he for her, and he would love her until he died. Every breath that escaped from him now was for her. Every action he did would be to ensure that she lived in peace the rest of her days, and would not be dismal over his death.

A pang of hurt infiltrated through out his body knowing that he was going to have to leave her behind to tend for their future child. Peter knew that whether he liked it or not Jerod would be the one to tend to him, and father him, when he was gone. Even as it saddened him, he knew that he would be leaving his child behind with a good person. Peter knew that Jerod would take care of Claire and Parker, he would make sure no harm came to them. He was a good person.

"I love you Claire," tears stained his porcelain face. Peter wasn't accustomed to crying, especially not in front of Claire, but having her there and now just reestablished the fact that he wouldn't find himself in this position with her much longer.

He couldn't be sure that she knew, but Claire just wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, she didn't need to say that she loved him back. He knew that she did, in every act and word that fell through her lips, Claire loved him, and there wasn't anything else that he was sure about in the world.

Peter teleported them into her apartment, and continued the kissing softly, as he laid his hands on her sides, and under her shirt, forcing it up. Claire didn't argue, and let him undress her. Slowly, and gracefully Peter threw aside every article of clothing that she was wearing and she did the same with him, until they were both bare and she was laying underneath him on her bed.

That was how it should had been since the beginning he thought to himself. He should have always given her what she deserved and not denied himself what he obviously wanted. Instead he'd been stubborn and hidden his feelings, having an alter ego create inside of him. He'd taken over and bedded Claire numerous times without his knowledge. If there was one thing he regretted, It was that, and not having the memories of himself bedding her.

Instead all he saw in hers were his eyes that had lightened and turned into an aggressive beast that hadn't cared about her. He had emotionally hurt her, and that hurt was something that Claire's regenerative abilities couldn't fix.

He momentarily withdrew from their passionate filled kiss and looked straight into her eyes as he entered her, reassuring her that this was him and not some alternate version that had taken over. Peter wanted Claire to understand that he loved her and that it didn't matter what sick situation they were in, he'd always love her.

Tomorrow they'd wake up in the same condition, uncle and niece, but it also wouldn't change how he felt about her, nothing would. Just as the sun would rise and his lungs would inhale oxygen, his love for Claire would be there, and he whispered that into her ear, making her aware that she'd always been the chosen one.

Claire moaned into his ear, and his libido picked up, making him trail moist and hungry kisses on her neck, while he fastened his speed inside of her. He couldn't imagine not having her like that anymore, not experiencing the joy of being inside of her and their incestuous situation that they shared.

They both came and Peter stayed inside of her, but swiftly switched their positions, to have her on top of him and she rested against him. Tonight his mission was done, and all that lay ahead was to wait and see, if he'd been successful.

**Two Weeks Later**

_Peter Petrelli, New York, New York. _

Peter was restless. There had been a few nights when he hadn't been able to get any sleep and dreaded the future, dreaded having to wake up to another day. Everyday that passed was nearing him closer to his death, his end, the end. His throat was dry, and as Simone walked into his apartment, with a key that he had so easily provided for her, he felt a tinge of guilt in the bottom of his stomach.

He was starting to realize that Simone really shouldn't have been there, especially knowing that Claire would be arriving soon for the holidays. He was torn between regretting having brought her from the past, and being thrilled she was alive and need to him. Yes it was true that he still had feelings for her, he always would, he had loved her before Claire, but it wasn't compared to what he felt for Claire.

He was slumped over on a chair drawing frantically in a sketchbook, he had taken to doing that a lot lately. None of his drawings ever made sense to him though. They had progressed from stick figures to pretty good drawings. He turned his head back from the door where Simone had just come in, to look at his completed sketch.

It had three figures standing, and two were looking directly into each other while another stood in the side, just observing them. There was intensity in the sketch, but yet, he couldn't decipher what it was, didn't understand what the whole picture represented, or who the three figures were.

"You're starting to remind me Isaac Peter, why don't you tell me what's going on?" Simone now stood right behind him, looking down at the sketch he had been working on.

Peter let a dry laugh escape, "All I need is the hard drugs huh? Nothing's going on Simone, I just…I hate knowing the future. I hate having powers, I hate all of this. I just wish I could go back and…make it all go away"

He knew he was being immature, and irrational, but he couldn't help it. It was ok to be a little irrational when you knew when you were going to die and how. He felt her touch his shoulder and tensed up. Even having Simone there felt like a betrayal to Claire now, felt like it was wrong, when it shouldn't have felt like that. He knew that being with Claire was what should have felt wrong, but yet it didn't.

"You can change the future Peter, don't you remember that? When you went back for me, to save me you told me that in your future, I died. Isn't that changing the future?"

It was the first time in many days that Peter felt as if something had been lifted from his chest. Simone was right, he had gone back and saved her, therefore altering the future. For now it seemed to Peter like there might just be hope. And just because of the fact that Simone had brightened his day, and somehow given him hope, was why He embraced her. Her touch was much different than Claire's.

Simone smelled like expensive Chanel perfume, while Claire smelled like nothing else in the world he could describe, it was sweet, yet fresh but subtle at the same time. Simone's hair smelled of vanilla when Claire's smelled of apples. The differences between the both of them were too great for Peter, and the hug was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

He let go, and Simone closed their proximity to kiss Peter, but he reluctantly pulled back. It was funny how although he did feel love for her, the thought of kissing her just seemed silly. Why try and kiss another girl, when you'd already tasted perfection?

There was a look of slight shock on her face but it faded, "Simone…We need to talk"

The air was filled with the candles she had been single handedly collecting from bath and body works, already making the apartment feel somewhat like home. Peter inwardly cringed feeling bad that he had to do this to her. He'd taken her from her lifetime and had given her false hope. He'd filled her up with a lie that really didn't exist. He'd let her believe that his heart belonged to her, when in fact the only person it had ever belonged to was to Claire.

Ever since the moment they ran into each other in her school hallway Peter had instantly known that Claire was the one. It was something in her eyes that had confirmed it for him. The way that she had so easily looked at him with such a surety had been the indication that it was destiny, there and then.

Peter exhaled and took a step back from Simone, scratching the back of his neck. Thinking of Claire at that precise moment wasn't going to help him, if anything it was only making him feel worse.

"What's wrong Peter?" she seemed truly interested in his well being, and why shouldn't she? Peter felt half the time as if he was going crazy keeping his love for Claire inside. It was emotionally and physically straining on him. He needed to tell _someone._

"I'm in love with someone else", he breathed, waiting for her enraged reaction. It didn't come though, she held her demeanor and just looked at peter quizzically.

"I know"

Perhaps it's the reason he fell for her from the moment he saw Simone so long ago, her ability to understand. She understood why he had to quite being a hospice nurse and search for bigger things, and she understood his necessity to save the cheerleader. It was a rare quality to find in a person, rare, but Simone glistened with it. She was a good person, much better than Peter at that moment. He was selfishly in love with his niece and leading her on with hope, when he'd known since the beginning that the moment he'd met Claire, Simone had simply become second to her.

"Since when have you known?"

Simone crossed her arms and leaned against the couch, "The moment you went back and saved me Peter you were different. I was going to ask you, that's why I grabbed your arm, but you brought us here to your future, and I thought maybe I could win you back.. Any girl can see that you're madly in love with someone Peter. She must be pretty amazing"

Peter blushed and looked down at his shoes in a boyish manner, "She is"

'There's only one thing left to do then Peter, take me back to Isaac"

He looked up into her eyes that were glossy with her own tears. Just like him, her heart was taken by Isaac. He may have been a druggie and many other things, but even a fool could have seen that they were madly in love with each other. They had been trying to fight it all along, just like Claire and Peter, but Simone and Isaac were destined to be together in this world and the next.

**Winter Break**

_Claire Petrelli. New York, New York. _

Claire took what must have been the 100th swig of water, and sat patiently next to Daphne. She hadn't seen or spoken to her in months, but upon arriving in New York, she'd been the first person to see. Sure their friendship wasn't deep, and Daphne wasn't the smartest tool in the shed, but she was still a girl, and Claire's friend. Claire needed someone who wasn't Jerod or Peter to keep her sane, especially in the current situation she was in.

"How long has it been?" she asked Daphne who was carefully holding a box in one hand and a pregnancy test in the other.

"OH! It's time, are you sure you want to know?" the brunette asked her with a shocked expression.

It took all of Claire's self restraint not to roll her eyes, "Yes I want to know"

Daphne turned the test over so that Claire could see the result. There it was, that small cross sign that indicated her worst fears. For a second time in less than a year Claire was pregnant again, and it was all thanks to Peter's super sperm. She wanted to scream and hunt him down, she didn't' want to be pregnant at eighteen. And she didn't' know how to explain to Jerod that she was pregnant for the second time and that it still wasn't his child.

She sighed and felt the anxious sensation again, "Ok give me another test"

"Claire you've taken six already and they've all had the same answer, I think you're like…pregnant"

Claire groaned and fell back down on Daphne's couch. She didn't want to be pregnant yet, even if it was Peter's. sure that night had been great, amazing beyond explanation, but she was still only eighteen. The beginning of her college career was just taking off, and she didn't want to be struggling with a baby on the side while she studied for exams.

Peter would hear from her, and she was sure of that. She knew he hadn't purposely done it, it was obvious what type of problems it would cause to have a child between them. Heck, it was worse than her being Nathan's illegitimate daughter, if she had this child it'd be damned. Claire exhaled air and put down her water bottle, jumping up and pacing the living room floor.

Daphne was looking at her strangely, "So I'm guessing you're not happy about this"

Claire let her head fall back and gave a snort, "Happy? Happy! Daphne, I'm eighteen, I'm Nathan Petrelli's daughter! How is this going to look for me? How is it going to look for his political image!" she heard herself yell and stopped.

Never before had Claire said something to actually protect Nathan's image. If anything she had wanted to rebel so he could feel her rage, understand the abandonment she felt by him. In some way she guessed that she couldn't help at consider him her father now, although that meant that Peter _was_ her uncle.

"How do you think Jerod will take it?" she asked throwing away the countless pregnancy test boxes.

Jerod wasn't going to take it any way because she wasn't going to tell him that it was his. Then again telling Jerod she was pregnant with her child seemed far easier than telling Peter that he'd impregnated her again. Claire knew she didn't have the heart to get an abortion, and even if she tried, her body would probably repair itself and impregnate her again.

Claire crossed her arms, and stared down Daphne, "How will he take it? Oh, he's going to take it alright, and he's going to wish he'd _never _gotten me pregnant"

Her sudden behavior made Daphne shudder, she'd never seen Claire so infuriated before. How could being pregnant be so bad? Weren't people suppose to accept and cherish it?

"So how are you going to tell him? I mean isn't he in Japan or something with his dad?"

Jerod was in Japan, but _Peter_ wasn't, and she knew she'd have to tell him too. Claire couldn't deny that their was a small part inside of her that was relieved that Peter was the father instead of Jerod. It wasn't that Jerod was ugly and would create ugly children, or that he was dumb, it was just the fact that knowing that the baby inside of her belonged to Peter gave her some slight hope. Hope of what, she didn't exactly know yet, but she'd find out.

_Later_

Claire had gone over in her mind many times in what way she was going to tell Peter. She was going to tell him calmly and without it becoming some kind of charade, because she really didn't want to get emotional, not anymore. She breathed in and held the air as she knocked his door. It mystified her how after all this time, knowing that she was going to see Peter made her nervous.

At first there wasn't any movement or noise that Claire could make out, but after knocking several more times she heard the faint footsteps of Peter walking towards the door. That was when butterflies ignited in her stomach and she felt herself shiver. She hated that he could still do that to her after all that time. She was eighteen now, a mature, pregnant, eighteen year old that shouldn't have been nervous anymore.

Peter opened the door, and Claire expected to find a brooding Peter, but instead he was grinning and showed off his crooked lip that he knew she loved so much, "So you still get butterflies huh?"

A groan escaped Claire, "Peter! You can't just read my mind, its rude, my thoughts are personal. If I want to tell you I will"

He merely rolled his eyes jokingly and invited her in away from the public hallway of his apartment complex into the confines of his own. After he made sure the door was securely closed, he pressed himself against her back and wrapped his arms around her, planting kisses on her neck. It was something he would have never done before, but he'd learned not to take for granted what he had.

You never knew when something you loved could be taken away from you and he certainly didn't want to learn the hard way again. She giggled and he just smiled to himself, letting his hand slither down to her stomach, already knowing why she was there. At that very moment Claire was carrying Parker, their baby.

"Why are you being so affectionate?" Claire accused him, with a smile on her face still.

Peter rested his head on her shoulder and whisper into her ear, "Because I love you"

Claire freed herself from his grasp and turned around to chuckle, "You're so strange Peter, a month ago you would have thrown me out of your apartment in attempt to save yourself from kissing me"

It was true, he would have done just that, because it was morally wrong to be kissing and doing things the Claire the way they were. But after everything that had happened in that short amount of time he'd learned that maybe he wasn't invincible after all, and he was going to enjoy everyday of his life with Claire. Fuck the world, and fuck Nathan and anyone else who wouldn't be able to understand, he was madly and endlessly in love with her and that was never going to change.

"True, but I was an idiot a month ago", he bent down and pressed a kiss on her strawberry flavored lips. She returned the kiss slightly, and Peter cupped her face deepening the kiss.

That was when Claire pulled away, and bit her lip. It was completely opposite from what Peter had expected. After all Claire had always been the one to ignite their incestuous meetings, well most of the time.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"I'm pregnant Peter…and it's Jerod's"

In that one moment, the perfect world he'd thought Claire and him shared now, shattered and he felt his chest explode with an unbelieving reality. This wasn't how things were suppose to be, this wasn't how things were planned out.

Their future together was over.

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Hope you guys enjoyed it! thank you for all of those who reviewed! Love you all! 


	15. Finale Part I

Yes i know this was suppose to be posted days ago, but i kept rewritting the end and i still can't figure it out! So for now i'm posting the first part of the ending and when I finally figure how to get the second part down, i'll post it. I promise it won't take nearly as long to post this time:) Enjoy.

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**Désolé**

_The finale part I_

Claire stared at herself in the mirror, disgusted, repulsed, loathing the sight in front of her. What kind of person lied like that? Especially to someone they loved. It had been partially because she'd been upset, but she supposed it had more to do with the fact that she was protecting him. Claire knew now that Peter would do anything for her, would profess his love for her in front of Nathan and wouldn't care about the consequence of being estranged from his family, but she didn't have the heart to let him do that for her.

In the end, Claire knew what how much the Petrelli's meant to Peter, and she couldn't dare take that away from him. She really didn't care what they had to say about her getting pregnant; because she had her parents in Odessa, and would always have them, no matter what happened. But the Petrelli's were all that Peter had, and it didn't matter whether or not they were the most dysfunctional family she'd ever met, they still meant the world to him.

A knot formed in her throat and she looked down to her stomach, no one would be able to tell that night, The Valentine's Ball. She'd just enjoy it with them, and tell them the news the next day, why ruin the party for them? Claire just didn't want to have to see Peter sad face, she dreaded that he'd be able to see right through her and read her like an open book. It had taken so much self control to hide what she was really thinking the day before in his apartment, when she'd told him the news.

She'd seen the hurt spread across his face, and it broke her, but it was all to protect him, it was just how he had done with her and taken her memory, she was protecting him in the same way, and she knew he'd understand. He would see how much it had torn her to do that to him, to deny him the joy of knowing he was going to be the father to her child.

Claire had always known it would be like this though; their love wasn't peaceful and serene. Their love was illicit and intricate, and things weren't ever suppose to be simple for them. In the end, she understood that nothing would be able to keep them together. They were constantly fighting, getting mad at each other, and what type of an environment would that serve for a child? Claire was aware that Jerod wasn't a smart man, but he had a good heart and good intentions, and would only love the baby, plus she'd need to blame someone for getting her pregnant, and Jerod was really the only option she had.

"Claire, everyone is waiting for you downstairs", Heidi called from her door. She took her time, peering at an seemingly anxious Claire. Heidi knew there was something troubling her, ever since she'd arrived it seemed like she had been fighting an internally with herself. They all knew though that she required space, questioning Claire wouldn't help, if only make it worse.

Which was why Heidi smiled at her, and left her in solace again, to dwell in her obscured state. Claire stood up and sighed, not really caring to fix herself up or apply makeup, and it wasn't as if she needed it anyway. Downstairs she'd find not only extensive members of the Petrelli clan, but political friends and much more as well. That's how the Petrelli's did Valentine's, in grand. Which was why Claire started wondering why she was there instead of Odessa with her parents and Lyle, but she knew that answer too. She was at the Petrelli's solely because of Peter.

In fact that's just the way it had always been, the only reason she'd ever truly wanted to get close to them, it was to be close to Peter too. She'd gotten her wish, and much more than that, she'd gotten his love and his heart…his smile. Sometimes Claire felt like the luckiest girl in the world, but it would come crushing down and the reality would hit her that it wasn't luck, it was a curse that had been placed on both of them. A sick joke, twisted and cruel and that destroyed their hearts day by day knowing what secretive irreparable damage they were doing to the family.

Claire walked down the stairs and noticed him right away, he was standing by the foyer, glass of whisky in hand and talking to some old baldheaded man, but as he saw her, his eyes flickered and turned away. It stung her, and she was sure that it stung him too, he couldn't look at her without feeling despair, and it was all her fault.

For a few seconds she considered going straight to the veranda and avoiding the crowd in whole, but she wanted to speak to him, needed to. So instead she found her feet taking her straight to Peter, and standing next to him and the unidentified politician. They both looked at her in question, but after a few seconds Peter seemed to regain his speech, "Oh…Mr. Linderman, this is Nathan's daughter…Claire"

The way he had said it had been so impassive and indifferent, but Claire supposed it was just a shear protection from her. She smiled, and shook his hand turning to Peter, "Speaking of which, Nathan would like to speak to you"

Peter turned to Mr. Linderman, "Will you excuse me?"

Once they walked away, Claire grabbed Peter's arm and led them both into the downstairs bathroom. He stumbled as she pushed him in, but quickly recovered and looked at her skeptically, "I'm assuming the Nathan thing was bogus?"

"Well how else was I suppose to get you alone? You don't want to talk to me."

He shook his head and took a step towards the door, "And for a good reason too"

Claire didn't let him pass through though, she stood against the door, disabling him from getting through. She was determined to make him talk to her and let her explain that they could still be friends, they were family, they _had_ to get along. And even if they couldn't be together, she still needed him to be there, to make sure things would be ok with them.

"Claire…move. Simone is going to be looking for me", he crossed his arms, a hint of annoyance in his slightly slurred voice. It was beyond her understanding why he still hadn't taken her back. That night they had shared together in California a few weeks back, he'd promised to take her back. Then again, she had pretty much ruined their progress by confessing that she had gotten pregnant by Jerod, so she really couldn't blame him.

"Peter, can't we be friends?"

Peter scoffed and shook his head, "You know we're well past that Claire. Things change, look-I want you, I need you but…you're having that idiot's kid for fucks sake! This wasn't how it was suppose to be, I rather be dead and you with Parker-you're suppose to have Parker!"

Claire was already standing against the door, but with Peter's outburst at her, she couldn't help at push herself up against it more. She'd never seen his eyes fill with hurt and rage before, she'd seen many things but not this side of Peter Petrelli. Then again she knew enough now, that when Peter drank, he let loose of all inhibition.

Had anyone else looked at him, they wouldn't have seen what she saw, the tinge of glow to him. A glow that she knew ignited now when he suppressed his anger, shoving it deep down inside him. She knew him well though, and she saw small things like that, "Peter things aren't written in stone"

He took a step towards her, hovering over her with his eyes still filled with an ache she knew she caused, "you're a bitch", he breathed at her.

Claire closed her eyes and tried not to let what he was saying bother her. She had to remind herself that it was just the alcohol, he didn't mean it, not really.

"You're drunk Peter", she whispered back.

Peter put his hand up against the door next to her and moved his mouth towards her ear, "Maybe, but you're still a bitch"

It was odd hearing Peter talk to her like that, with such cruelness to him. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone. Claire couldn't help at wonder if this was how things were going to be between them now.

_Peter Petrelli_

_New York, New York. _

He was restless and couldn't speak, his throat was dry and his head was spinning and the last words he remembered saying were his I do's with Simone at the alter. He hadn't been able to help it, one minute they were both missing Isaac and Claire and the next they had decided it was just best to do it and get it over with.

Claire had gotten married just two weeks prior to them and she was seven months pregnant, so he had decided it was finally time to move on and just accept that their meeting hadn't been destiny after all. It stung like a bitch seeing her in her third trimester and glowing as she and Jerod had exchanged vows.

Angela had a fit when she had found out that Claire was pregnant and had gotten engaged to Jerod at their Valentine's ball. Everyone had been shocked by the news actually, all except Peter. They told him to talk her out of it, but he had just ignored them, ignored it. He didn't want to have anything to do with any of it.

Instead he waited to see her until the day of their wedding. He and Simone went together of course, and when the priest had asked if there was anyone who thought they shouldn't get married he swore he'd had the urge in his head to shout, but he'd stopped himself. How would he have been able to explain to Nathan that he was in love with his daughter? So she was Claire Eastwood now, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. It didn't sound right at all, somehow Petrelli had just rolled off his tongue with such ease to it.

He guessed that Simone Petrelli sounded just as weird now too, and even Simone thought so. But they were married and it was just for the best. Simone had decided against going back to the past and being with Isaac since she was doomed to die if she did She was satisfied with Peter in some way, and he with her. They were each other's rebounds and that was ok.

Their wedding had been small and only close family had been invited. Claire and Jerod had gone, and he'd wished so too, he wished to inflict the same pain in her as she'd done with him. The whole affair had gone smoothly and everyone had genuinely enjoyed themselves, even Peter, though it had taken a lot of effort.

But it all came crushing down the moment they had decided to leave their simple wedding dinner and he was staring over Simone's body. It had all happened so quickly that he hadn't really had any time to respond.

Simone had died for the second time as she was hailing a cab for them on their way home from the their wedding dinner at the Petrelli mansion. In those few moments it had felt as he'd been immobile as he watched her get ran over by the speeding car.

During that time was when Hiro had decided to make another of his impromptu appearances with his sword tightly held against him. When he looked down at Simone he gasped and told Peter he had done terribly by bringing Simone into the future, explaining about the butterfly effect and what he could have just caused.

The truth was that Peter had never really thought about it that way. All he'd been thinking about when he'd gone back to save Simone, was that he didn't want to be alone, and she besides Claire was the only person he felt alright with. In those few seconds in which Hiro stopped time, he picked up Simone with his arms and immediately teleported them back into their apartment.

Peter laid Simone on his bed, and sank into the floor, digging his hands into his hair. He started bawling uncontrollably and it wasn't because of Simone, which mad it all worse, but because he had done exactly what his future self had told him not to. Which was why he knew he had to go back, and see Claire.

With a literal blink of an eye he was standing by her window, just a few months earlier on the night they had thanksgiving at the mansion. Claire was laying on her bed and crying, just as he remembered. He'd done that to her, and it hurt him now, it hurt him because he'd caused her so much pain for so long, and he really hadn't stopped to think about just what it was doing to her emotionally. And he knew what it was like to be in such physical pain over someone now, and he just wished he could take it all away.

She was Claire, the indestructible cheerleader, but he should have known that her feelings weren't that shatterproof. She looked up and met his eyes, but she was angry, and he knew. She'd just had a fight with him, a stupid him. But it was ok, because he was there now and he was going to change it, and this time he'd make himself listen, at least he hoped he would….

_Peter Petrelli_

_New York, 2006_

Peter sighed as he looked out on to New York City from the roof top of Isaac's loft. He had gone back and stopped Simone getting hit by that car and decided it was just best to bring her back . He was bringing Simone back to be with Isaac because they were just in love and it was suppose to be that way for them. What he and Simone had, had for that brief time, hadn't been right, it felt forced to him now. He was just looking for someone to love and he was her rebound guy, it was as simple as that.

She was meant to be with Isaac though, whether or not it meant it was the end for her. So he was there and he's leaving her. Peter tuned around and shoved his hands into his pockets. That's when he heard it, the gunshots. His heart started racing and he ran into the loft, but by that time it was too late, Isaac had pointed the gun at Simone and she was now laying in a younger version of his arms.

It had happened again, and there had been no way to stop it, his heart beat terribly fast against his chest and Peter felt as if he might just die then. Not because of Simone, or because she was dead, but because things _were_ written in stone. He felt terribly guilty and knew he should have been sad that Simone had just died for the third time, but he didn't.

It was like an epiphany, or as a light bulb had gone off in his head, he just understood. For some twisted reason he felt elated, knowing that this is how its suppose to be and it was ok. Hiro was right, you couldn't mess with the future, because it would fight back. The future was fighting and you couldn't beat it. It was destiny, and he was ok with that.

He watched as his other self carried Simone on to the bed and Isaac watched idly from where he was sitting against the door still in shock. He knew how all this would go, and he really didn't want to stick around to watch it happen again. He had other things he had to do now, one of which consisted of visiting Parker.

Peter just wanted to make sure he was still there, because it would prove the small suspicion that was building in his head. Claire had lied to him, she wasn't pregnant with Jerod's bastard child, no, it was _his_. He wanted to kick himself for being so naive and blind and actually believing her.

Everything around him was unfolding and he felt as if the air was thinning and he was having some type of revelation of his life. He couldn't exactly describe what he was feeling because it wasn't joy or bliss, and it wasn't sadness either, it was something in middle, some sort of balance that he'd been brought too.

He closed his eyes then and teleported to the future that parker had taken him too. He had to find him, had to speak with him to know that he still existed, just as a reassurance. When he opened his eyes again, he was on the same alley in which him and Parker had gone to before and it was just as empty. The only thing now was to find him, and he had Molly to thank for that.

Peter closed his eyes and thought of Parker, remembering his face and how uncanny the similarities were to his. He saw it then, the Petrelli mansion, and it was then that he was able to breathe. He was ok, he wasn't gone and he was able to finally smile.

Sure his thoughts were erratic and jumbling in his head from so much built up anxiety over not knowing whether or not Parker was ok, but he was now, and that was helping him a little.

_Peter Petrelli_

_New York, the future. _

A few minutes later Peter found himself on the doorstep of the Petrelli mansion, and phased right through the door, not bothering to knock or to try and open the door. What use was it when it was technically still his home?

From what he could see, not much had changed, a little décor here and there but essentially it was the same house he still remembered. There were more pictures now, and he could see pictures of Monty and Simon grown up. Simon had seemingly gotten married and he could see the whole family in the portrait. There was even another teenage girl that looked close to Parker's age who he imagined must have been the baby that Heidi'd had just a few months back in _his _present time. The only person missing was him, but they showed no sign of that and Claire was smiling radiantly next to Parker.

A small knot formed in his throat, knowing he was going to miss all this and more. The little things like not watching his nephews get married or not being there for Parker's birthday really panged at his chest. It was all written in stone though, he couldn't stop it, and he was ok with that.

Peter turned towards the informal living room and heard a television on, he frowned because his mother had never really approved of having a TV in the house. So he really didn't understand why she had changed her mind and allowed them to have one now, truthfully he was sort of jealous.

He hadn't really known what to expect when he walked into the living room, but he certainly hadn't pictured Parker in his flannel pajamas, watching Scooby Doo cartoons and eating lucky charms cereal. He was thirteen, he knew he should have figured that a kid like him would still be into those type of things, but he had never really stopped and thought about him as a kid.

He guessed he'd just forgotten that Parker was a kid, and kids did do stuff like sit in front of TV's and eat bowls of lucky charms. Watching Parker's sitting comfortably on the couch with his back to him and engulfed on the TV made a small smile build on the tip of his lips, and he laughed, which made Parker turn immediately.

"Peter? What are you doing here?"

Peter didn't answer right away, but took a seat next to him instead turned his attention to the screen as well, "Scooby Doo huh?"

Parker positioned himself back to the way he had been sitting and nodded showing off his own crooked smile, "Yeah dude, they're classics"

He could have told Parker that when he was his age he'd done the same thing on Saturday mornings. That he'd eaten the same cereal, that he'd watched the same cartoons, but what point would it have really served? Peter didn't think Parker needed any sentimental comments from his dead father.

So instead he laughed as Scooby and Shaggy were chased by a ghost, "You're right, they are classics"

Out of the corner of his eye he could tell that Parker was eating his cereal and watching the show too, and he was content in that moment and just wanted to stay there for a little. He just wanted to soak in this feeling and memory and really just appreciate it.

"Do you like your name?" he found himself asking rather abruptly.

Parker swallowed a spoonful of his lucky charms and shrugged with his mouth half full, "I guess so…I never really thought about it"

Now was not the time to get all sentimental and peter knew that, but he just felt like he owed Parker a little. He'd never been there, would never get to see him as his son, this was just his way of saying sorry that he was gone.

"So…you said Jerod and Claire raised you?"

"Yeah my dad and mom basically raised me, but when they got divorced a few years ago, mom and I came to live with Grandpa"

Peter wasn't sure what to make of Parker calling Jerod his dad, it wasn't that it was uncomfortable…just weird. It was obvious that _he_ was his biological father, and he'd seemingly always known about it, so it didn't exactly make sense to him as to why Parker was calling Jerod dad.

But Parker seemed to sense his uneasiness about it, or maybe just read his mind. Either way he sort of sighed and put down his bowl, "He raised me Peter, so he _is_ my dad"

The way he was speaking made it seem like he was much older than thirteen. Peter knew he had never been that mature at his age, and taken things so calmly.

"But he's not your real dad, so isn't it calling him dad sort of weird?" by now the slightly jealous twinge to his speech was pretty obvious.

Parker eyed the cartoons on the screen, and for a few minutes Peter thought he might not respond back so he just let it go and turned to watch as Shaggy was running and carrying Scooby in his arms now as they rand down the hall of some haunted mansion. In that precise moment though, was when he decided to answer him, "Mom explained it to me this way…you're parents don't have to be biologically related to you to mean that they're your real parents. My dad is my real dad because he raised me, you didn't. Besides, mom understands it because she said she was adopted and never knew her real parents"

Peter's heart momentarily stopped for a second and he swallowed. Claire didn't know her _real _Parents? Had they all not told him that Nathan was Claire's father? Did he not know that he was the result of an illicit and incestuous relationship between uncle and niece? That he was the spawn of their forbidden love for each other?

He eyed him curiously, but Parker did not show any sign of having read his thoughts or have concern flicker his eyes. Instead he kept his gaze on the TV intently and watched as they captured the "ghost". He licked his lips and scratched his neck uncomfortably. Peter didn't want to be the one to break the news to Parker, but at the same time he didn't think he should be kept in the dark about his family tree.

"Parker…what exactly do you know about me-and Claire? What have you been told?" it was safest to start with what he knew and go from there.

"Not much honestly. Grandpa refuses to talk about you, and grandma doesn't, just says you were a good person. Uncle Monty and Simon say you were deranged, and mom…she gets mad when I bring you up. So I've really never gotten any information out of any of them." he shrugged indifferently.

But Peter wasn't satisfied, "Parker…why do you call Nathan grandpa if you know he's my brother?"

Parker frowned and put his hair back, "I don't know? I've just called him that since I was little"

He had no idea, and Peter didn't know whether to be happy or feel sorry that he was in the dark about everything. He knew that they'd done it to protect him from the truth. After all, what child would want to know his parents were blood related? It was sick. He was still torn though, because at the same time Parker had every right to know that Nathan was Claire's dad.

Peter sighed and put his hand through his ever growing hair, "So Claire never told you she knew who her real Parents were.". It was more of an accusation rather than a question, and Parker caught it.

"No, she said she didn't know who they really were"

He scoffed and shook his head, "She knows, Believe me. Do you want to know who her da-"

"Peter"

He was interrupted by someone calling him from behind. He frowned and turned to see his mom, who was standing with her eyes watery and pale as if she'd seen a ghost. In a way she had though, because to them, he was dead. After a few moments of shock she rushed over to him and embraced him in a tight hug, and he felt her sob against his chest, in a way he'd never seen his mother cry before.

"Mom?"

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I know, I know..the future again. BUT! i had to do it, because it all sort of connects. I hope you guys enjoyed it and dont forget to review:) I'll post if faster if you do :D 


	16. Finale Part II

**Désolé**

Finale Part II

"Mom?"

She pulled away from him and sighed, "Don't do it Peter…he doesn't need the mortification of knowing who his parents are"

It was just like her to do this, keep people in the dark. It was something she'd done her whole life to try and protect them from finding out about their abilities, and to hide Nathan from Claire. And now her and Nathan had teamed up and somehow managed to lie to Parker about who Claire's real parents were.

He shook his head and backed away from her, "He has a right to know mom"

Parker who was still looking between them confused, "What are you guys talking about? What do I have a right to know about?"

Angela smiled attentively and turned to Parker, "It's nothing honey. Peter and I have some things to talk about, why don't you go and visit your mother?"

"No mom, he has a right to know the truth! Parker-"

Angela's threatening eyes bore into Peter's and her tone was thick with a threatening glare, "He's pure Peter, don't ruin him. Don't bring him into the disgusting world that you and Claire created, he doesn't need to know the grueling details of your relationship with her"

"Grandma I want to know, if it's about me I have a right to know!" it was Parker who'd shouted this time and they both turned to face him with an repentant look, because he didn't know what he was asking.

Angela turned back to Peter and smiled, and he could see that her eyes were full of tears that were threatening to come out. She cupped his face just as she'd done in the hospital right after he'd jumped off a building for the first time and kissed his forehead, "I've missed you Peter", and she left, in defeat.

So it was just the two of them, Peter and Parker and it was dawning on him that it was all up to him to tell Parker about it. He'd been so sure before about telling him, so ready…but now as he looked into the boy's face he wasn't so sure anymore. His mom had been right, Parker was just like him as a kid, so honest and noble and not fucked up yet, and he didn't want to be the one to fuck him up. Didn't want to ruin the happy little picture that they'd all worked so hard to drill into his head.

"Tell me Peter. All my life everyone's gone out of their way to keep secrets from me, and I can't take it anymore, I want to know it all"

Light footsteps made their way into the living room thought, interrupting them again. Except it wasn't Angela this time, it was Jerod. Peter's eyes met his, and there was confusion hidden in them and he frowned, scratching his head.

"Aren't you dead?"

Parker beamed and instantly ran over to him, taking Jerod into a hug. It was-next to hearing Claire exchange her vows with Jerod, the most painful thing he'd ever had to experience. He found it kind of funny how Jerod seemed to have taken everything away from him, and wondered why. And most of all how? Because everyone knew that he was an idiot, a Forest Gump 2.0, he was a lucky bastard that had everything that Peter wanted.

"Dad! You told me you were coming next Saturday", exclaimed Parker elated to have him there. He'd never showed that side of him before with Peter, not once. They'd never hugged, smiled like that, or had a simple father-son talk.

Jerod didn't take his eyes off Peter though, and that ghost look was really starting to bug him now. They all knew he could time travel so he wasn't sure why Jerod looked all that surprised to see him, "I thought I'd surprise you…but isn't he dead?"

Peter put his bangs behind his ear, "I am dead"

He nodded as if understanding and made a little 'o' mouth, then looked back down at Parker, "You know what? I'll let you guys catch up ok? I have to go talk to my uncle about that basketball card you want anyway"

Parker beamed, "You mean the Michael Jordan one? You're getting it for me dad?"

Peter's patience was thinning and he really wanted Jerod to leave, and maybe never come back if that was possible. For a second Peter let his inner villain consume his mind and wondered if Parker would miss him if he was gone. But as soon as that had crossed his mind, he was quick to toss it out. It wasn't Jerod's fault he was dead, and he hadn't really ever been asked to be thrown into their crazy messed up world of Petrellis'.

After two more hugs and promises to return the next Jerod had finally left, and Parker and Peter were alone again. Parker turned to Peter and his face had become serious again. There was no trace of a smile or joy in his eyes, it was quite blank actually.

"Was I a mistake?" Parker asked bluntly crossing his arms.

He hadn't really been prepared for this question, "What do you mean?"

Parker shrugged his shoulders and fell onto the couch, "I don't know? It just seems like you and mom never meant to have me. You had the option to take care of me when I was a baby because you didn't die until a year after I was born, but you didn't. you let my mom marry my dad. I just don't get it? I mean, mom's close with your family, it's almost like its her family and they like her. So obviously you guys were really close. And sometimes I don't know I just feel like you guys having me was a mistake? I mean, did you guys even like each other?"

"You weren't a mistake Parker, and if I could have been there as your father, there's no doubt I would have. There isn't anything in the world that I would have rather done than marry Claire and raise you myself. It just wasn't that easy and Claire and I liked each other a lot, too much actually and that was the problem"

Parker, who had been staring at the floor looked up to Peter more confused that ever, but he didn't say anything. He was waiting, waiting for Peter to finish telling him, or to start maybe, whichever one came first.

"Claire and I…we met under strange circumstances"

"I know, I heard from uncle Zach, he told me how you guys met", Parker let a tiny smirk on to his lips and laughed, "Save the cheerleader save the world, right?"

God that sounded so old now, like ages ago, and in their time it had been, but to Peter that was only really a few years back. It brought back a sort of nostalgic feeling he hadn't ever experienced and he smiled himself, "Yeah…save the cheerleader save the world. It was so simple then you know? Here I had met this beautiful girl, it was like it was destiny really. As if god had arranged it all so perfectly, but it wasn't, it was a cruel joke. It sucked so bad later on, and when I found out the truth and how it was destiny but for a different reason I tried to distance myself from her as much as possible"

"Well what do you mean?" Parker's attention was completely on him, intent on knowing the whole story to his parents and how they'd fallen in love.

Peter took a deep breath and continued, it was time to tell Parker the truth, and he hated himself for having to be the one to do it.

_Peter Petrelli_

_Present time, Jerod's Baby Shower._

As far as Peter had always understood, girls were the ones that were suppose to have the baby showers, not guys. So it had really taken him off guard when he'd gotten his invitation in the mail to go and celebrate a baby shower with Jerod, and not Claire. Peter hadn't planned on going, not really. Why add more salt to the wound? But Jerod had kept reminding him and telling him it was important for him to be there.

Not only because he was Claire's uncle, but because it was just going to be the two of them and Nathan. Apparently, the rest of his friends had thought the idea of having a baby shower for a guy was just unnatural.

So there he was sitting at a bar with Nathan and Jerod, and he kept drinking. He thought maybe if he could get himself really shit faced, it would keep him from wanting to strangle Jerod, or curse at Nathan for ever having Claire and putting him in this hell of a situation.

When Nathan excused himself to go to the bathroom, Peter downed all of his beer in one gulp and turned to Jerod, "So have you picked out a name?"

He shook his head and drank from his Shirley Temple, "No, but Claire was thinking about Delilah if it's a girl and Sebastian if it's a boy"

Sebastian? He was most certainly not going to let Parker be named Sebastian, not if he wanted him to get beat up in kindergarten. He frowned, "What do you think about the name Parker? Like Parker Posey"

Jerod was silent for a moment and drank a sip of his Shirley Temple really giving it thought, "You know…I _really _like that name"

_Claire Eastwood_

_New York, New York._

It had taken three hours of labor but she finally had it, her tiny baby boy. No one had seen him yet, for the exception of Jerod. He was so beautiful and hadn't uttered a single cry after coming out. Instead, when she'd held him, he'd looked up to her and actually smiled. She knew that babies weren't suppose to even open their eyes on the first day, but her baby was no normal baby and it had brought her to tears to see him smile at her.

His head was full of black hair and he was pale white just like him, and god was he perfect.

"Why does he have black hair?" Jerod asked rather bluntly.

"Petrelli genes run very strong", she explained not taking her eyes off the bundle of joy in her arms. He was the most exquisite thing she'd ever seen next to Peter.

"Parker"

Claire's heart fastened and she turned to look at Jerod, "What?"

He smiled that goofy smile she liked and looked at the baby in her arms, "His name-its Parker, it just fits. Don't you think?"

For some reason Claire giggled, and she looked back down, "Yeah it is perfect"

Suddenly the door was pushed open and Heidi rushed in with Nathan and Angela trailing behind her. She was beaming and there was a nurse that was trying to stop them from entering, but they all ignored her, and rushed to Claire's side to see the baby that was in her arms.

"What is it?" asked Nathan peering at the baby boy in her arms.

Jerod smiled, "It's a boy, his name's Parker"

Heidi was the first to ask to hold him and Claire let her, feeling her arms flop to her sides. Heidi looked down at Parker and her smile faltered for only a moment as she frowned but resumed her grin, "God he looks _just_ like Peter in all of his baby pictures, doesn't he Nathan?"

Nathan who was standing next to Heidi Nodded and raised his eyebrows eyeing Parker, "Yeah, exactly like him"

Angela who had yet to speak scoffed, "Well you should know by now Heidi that the Petrelli genes are strong in our family"

In that moment Claire felt so grateful, and swore she could have seen Angela wink at her. But had she? And was it because she knew? And if she had known, why hadn't she come between them? Why hadn't she saved the both of them from their feelings for each other?

"Is Peter coming?" Jerod queried.

Nathan shook his head, "No, I couldn't get a hold of him"

Claire sighed, Perhaps it was for the best. The last thing he needed was to be around them watching her and Jerod's baby be born. Besides, he'd gone through a lot lately, with Simone dying again, and maybe it was just best that he wasn't there, for the sake of her sanity too.

_Three Weeks Later_

Claire and Jerod were renting an apartment in New York now, but Jerod had gone back to take his finals for his summer classes in California, so Claire was stuck by herself taking care of the baby. She didn't mind either, and actually sort of preferred it that way. She liked having the silence and being able to talk Parker out loud and not have to worry about saying anything around Jerod that might reveal the truth about his paternity.

She was busy making herself a sandwich after having gotten him to sleep finally. Just as Heidi had warned her, taking care of a baby required a lot of work and time, and it wasn't easy. But she loved doing it just the same and enjoyed waking up 3 o'clock in the morning to feed him or change his diaper. When it came to Parker, being able to just look at him brought her joy.

After putting away the jelly, there was a knock on the door and Claire cringed hoping it wasn't Heidi with her own little baby girl. Don't get her wrong, she loved Heidi and loved having her bio family close by, but when Parker was asleep it was her alone time and it was the time when she could take a nap, or read…just be by herself.

When she opened the door it wasn't Heidi though, it was Peter standing against the door frame with his hands shoved into his pockets and his gaze down. He looked so thin and pale, just completely worn out, not like the Peter she knew at all. But when she looked at him, his eyes slowly traveled to her face, he cleared his throat and attempted to smile, "Hey"

The truth was that Claire wasn't sure what to say to him. The last time they'd really spoken was the night at the Valentine's ball at the Petrelli mansion. That night had been a total disaster for the both of them and his eyes looked so wounded still, that she wasn't sure what to say or if she could say anything to even begin to heal all the pain she had inflicted on him.

"Hey", she whispered back. Claire heard a cry coming from her room and sighed, "Umm do you want to come in?"

Peter didn't say anything, just nodded and stepped forward as she shut the door behind him, and she rushed to get the infant child that was crying.

She went to get Parker and held him in her arms rocking him and shushing him so that he'd stop crying. She didn't know why he'd started crying all of a sudden, she had barely put him to bed not even ten minutes before Peter had arrived.

When Claire turned around, she noticed that Peter was now standing in the room with them, with that sickened hollow looking face he'd had that night she'd visited him in the jail cell. It broke her, she didn't like to see him in so much pain. She loved him after all, and it was hard seeing him like that, looking as if he hadn't eaten a good meal in months and slept in days.

What he asked next surprised her, "Can I hold him?" it was more of a whispered plea than a question, and she couldn't deny him that. She couldn't stop him from holding his own baby. So she nodded and stepped forward and he slowly took Parker into his own arms and looked down at him.

She mentally took a picture because it was cute, it was epic and everything else that came with it at that moment, a Kodak moment. She'd never forget the tiny smile on his face or the glossiness to his eyes. The joy of holding Parker seemed to make his tiredness momentarily go away, and for a second, he looked like his old self. He gave Parker his tiny crooked smile, that he would inherit.

"He's beautiful", he breathed, his voice shaky and wavering as he said it. It was difficult for him to do be there, to hold him and she knew that.

"His name's P-"

"Parker Eastwood Petrelli, weighed six pounds three ounces and was born right at noon", he didn't take his eyes off of him, and that was when Claire finally noticed that Parker had stopped crying and he had his grip around one of Peter's fingers.

"How did you know?"

"Why Petrelli?" he asked completely ignoring her question to him. He kept his eyes steady on Parker's. Claire wasn't sure if it was because he was so entranced with the baby, or just couldn't really stand to look at her.

"It just seemed right"

Peter sighed and Claire could tell that it was taking all of his strength not cry. Maybe if she'd been in his position she would have done the same? No, she would have already shed the tears that were threatening to go down his cheeks. And precisely when Parker looked up at Peter and smiled his little crooked smile was when he finally gave in and let the tears fall.

Claire felt her stomach flutter, there was something about the vulnerability and the look that he had to him that made him all the more attractive to her. She walked forward to him, and he looked up at her wiped them away, "Sorry"

She was about to retort and say it was ok, but there was a knock on the door again and she sighed leaving Peter with Parker in his arms to go answer it.

It was Heidi and Nathan, in tow with their baby girl Beth. She panicked, having them there while Peter was crying in the next room over didn't exactly scream a happy little family get together. The truth was that it was weird having the both of them there, and having them see Peter hold Parker.

Nonetheless she let them in, "Hi"

Nathan was quick to give her a hug and Heidi followed by kissing her cheek, "So where is this beautiful grandkid of ours?"

"Oh…Peter's holding him in the room", she shakily said, and added, "He's here by the way"

Nathan's eyebrows shot up and smiled, "Really? That's great! I haven't spoken to him in at least a month"

But as they made their way over to the bedroom, he was gone and Parker was crying in his crib. The only indication that they were given was an open window with a breeze coming in. Claire's heart fell, she hadn't wanted to loose him that fast again.

_Peter Petrelli_

_Beth's 1st birthday. _

He hated it, hated himself, hated the world and hated Jerod. He hated seeing him hold Parker while he sucked on his pacifier. Hated how Parker laid his head so comfortably on Jerod's shoulder. It should have been his really, _he_ was his father after all. But no one knew that of course, no one figured that a little baby that looked just like him was his. Why would they? Of course he wasn't.

So Peter downed the rest of his whisky instead, and slammed it on the bar table looking outside to where the party was being held. Yeah he'd been drinking a little lately, maybe a little too much, but it wasn't as if anyone but him had noticed it. And he wasn't an alcoholic, as much as he tried to get plastered it never happened, all he'd ever get was a small buzz, all thanks to Claire.

"Pete do you really think you should be drinking at Beth's first birthday party?" asked Nathan taking a seat next to him.

Peter shrugged, pouring more liquor into his glass and downing it, liking the feel of it as it burned down his throat, "I can leave if you want me too"

Nathan exhaled and rolled his eyes but kept his cool, "You know that's not what I meant Peter. Besides, Heidi would kill me if she find out I kicked you out of the party…Do you see Parker? He's growing so much. I can't believe I have a grandchild"

_Grandchild_. If only Nathan really knew that Parker wasn't only his grandchild but nephew as well. Not that he planned on breaking the news to him, he loved Nathan too much to actually do that. Besides, what would he gain from telling him the truth? Why ruin the perfect crystal world that they had all created for each other?

Peter breathed in deeply and looked over to Nathan, "So how is it?-being a granddad and all?"

There was a momentary pause in which Nathan scratched his chin and smiled at Peter with a twinkle in his eye that pretty much answered it for him. The truth was that Parker had really turned Nathan soft, and he'd finally found his paternal instinct inside, especially to Claire, who he'd basically neglected all her life.

"Its great. You know, I never really thought about it but I'm really happy I had Claire. Sure I didn't want her at the time, especially because of the situation her mother and I were in, but I'm thankful everyday for being able to have another chance to get to know her. Having children is the most wonderful feeling in the world Peter."

Peter clicked his fingers on top of the table and scratched the back of his neck desperately trying to stop himself from telling Nathan to shut the fuck up, because he most certainly didn't want to hear his heartfelt story about being a dad, he didn't need it, not now. It only made the envious monster inside of him grow, and he didn't want that.

"The first time they start walking, or when you hear them say 'dad', its just…the best feeling in the world, and I'm so happy for Claire and Jerod, that they're getting to experience that"

Peter snickered, "Yeah"

Nathan turned over to Peter, "Don't worry Peter, You're time will come soon, you'll know what it's like to have children and feel the joy of holding them in your arm-"

Peter abruptly bounced off the stool and chugged his remaining alcohol, "I don't think so. I have to go-do something? I think I have to go pick up my dry cleaning", he mumbled walking past Nathan.

But Nathan grabbed his arm, with a rather hard grip, and Peter turned and cocked his head to the side, "What?"

"What's going on Pete? Are you ok? Doing drugs?" Nathan looked at him seriously, trying to decipher what was going on with him, a clue, anything that would give him insight to what Peter was dealing with.

Peter scoffed and shook his head, "No"

'_Not anymore.' _

"Then what Peter? Tell me what's going on inside that head of yours?

What _wasn't_ going on would have been a much simpler question to ask, Peter thought. Well let's see, basically he was heartbroken over Claire marrying Jerod, having Parker as his kid, loosing them loosing both, and oh yeah the fact that he was going to die pretty soon. But other than that things were fine.

He shrugged Nathan off and pulled his arm rather slowly, "Nothing. I love you Nathan"

"Oh god. You aren't turning suicidal on me are you?'

Peter laughed, and it was the first real laugh he'd had in a long time, it felt good. "No, I just wanted you to know that. I love you, all of you"

Nathan closed him in and took him in for a tight embrace, "We love you too Pete, I just wish you'd tell me what was going on"

Again he smirked and stepped out of the hug. He couldn't tell him what was going on without giving away something about Claire. Thus, he couldn't tell him anything and it broke Peter, because he'd always told Nathan everything. There hadn't ever been anything he'd kept from his brother before Claire had stepped into the Picture, but she'd changed that. He swallowed and smiled bitterly, "It's just school"

Nathan put his arm around his shoulder and raised his eyebrows at Peter, "Bullshit/ But hey, when you're ready to tell me, you can. Ok? You can tell me anything Peter. I mean it, and we'll work it out"

'_Not this'_ Peter thought, but all he did was give Nathan a sad smile and nod. There was a tiny shriek outside and he could see that Jerod was tickling Parker, as Claire watched from where she was sitting down next to Heidi, holding Beth. The way that Parker giggled, and smiled at Jerod made Peter want to cry out of frustration, but he just sighed and looked away, blinking back the water in his eyes.

Nathan who still had his arm around him seemed to notice, and let go, "Pete…", he was stuck not really sure what to say. Peter knew he had his suspicions, who wouldn't? The kid _mirrored_ him. But saying it out loud would make the assumption real, and raw.

"I need to go." Peter's voice was barely audible, and he kept his eyes on the floor, not daring to look at Nathan. He couldn't, not when he felt so bad for ruining the family.

This time when Nathan called his name, he didn't stop. He walked until he was out of the front door and out the house. He could have teleported back, or flown, but he needed to walk to clear his head. But all he could hear was Claire's voice over and over just calling his name, and he didn't want to hear it. Yet, it only got stronger, until it was as if she was just behind him, killing him softly each time she voiced his name.

Peter turned his head, and noticed she _was_ running after him. And for a second everything got slow and it was as if he was back at Union Wells High, watching her run towards him in slow motion. She was wearing that cheerleader uniform that made him smile, and her hair was drenched in blood. When he looked around him, and down at his clothes he was there again, as if reliving the moment that destiny had brought them together.

But as Claire got closer she started laughing, and not her sweet laugh but a malicious one he'd never heard before. And suddenly, it wasn't Claire, but Sylar.


	17. FINALE & EPILOGUE

****

Desole

__

Finale Part III

Dry Lips

He stopped a few feet away from Peter and threw his head back in laughter.

"How…"

"How did I do that? It's called an Illusion Peter, the nice power I picked up from your ex-fiancée, Candice. Remember her? It's going to come in handy when I kill Claire and take her Powers and then I'll take your brother's, and his sons"

The monster that had been swirling inside Peter for months suddenly raged out and he telekinetic-ally through Sylar against the wall, choking him, "You aren't touching her."

Sylar struggled against Peter's hold, but managed to let out a struggled laugh, "Have a thing for your own niece do you?"

Peter tightened the grasp around his neck and through him on the ground, letting his hand glow red with heat penetrating through it and burning Sylar's skin.

All Sylar did was laugh though, and look up to Peter with his evil grin, "I know all about you and Claire Peter. I know about Parker, and I'm going to take him. Imagine an empath for me to mold and raise, my own little sidekick", he laughed, and then brought his smile to a halt, his expression hardened, "and when he's older, I'll take his power"

The thought of Sylar laying a single finger on Parker angered Peter and just as he was about to shoot at him with his hands, the scenery around him faded, and Sylar disappeared from his sight. Leaving him in the middle of the sidewalk and panting, turning in circles and wondering if what he'd just seen was all a mirage, some type of game that his subconscious was playing with him, or if it to his dismay was completely real.

He panted and put his hand through his hair, not caring that people were gawking at him as he looked around clueless. The fact that Sylar knew about Parker worried him, and he found himself teleporting back to the Petrelli mansion.

How? Who? When? Were all the questions that Peter kept asking himself. There wasn't anyone besides Claire and himself that knew the true paternity of Parker. Not even Jerod knew, he just assumed the baby was his. He couldn't for the life of him, figure out how Sylar had found out that Parker was his and Claire's son.

The sun had long ago gone down, but they were all outside still, laughing and eating while the children ran around. He wanted to be out there with them, truly did, but Peter just didn't feel as if he fit in. they all either had kids or where kids, and he didn't fit into either of those categories. It made him content just to be there watching over them, and making sure that Sylar wouldn't make an impromptu appearance.

The barbecue smell from the grill in which the cook was cooking, made it's way to his nose, and he was very tempted to go outside for just a minute to get something. But after noticing both Jerod and Claire standing by the grill holding Parker and laughing at an intimate joke, he thought it better just to stay inside. Besides, there was always the fridge full of…well, there was always take out.

Peter had every intention of taking his eyes off of them, he swore he did, but he couldn't stop looking at the way that Claire held Parker, in such a motherly way. It came so natural to her, that it was kind of shocking. Her golden curls fell in front of her face as she laughed, and he wished he was next to her, to be able to put those strands of hair behind her.

It was then that she caught him looking at her, and he turned his head in record time to avoid eye contact. He put a hand through his hair, and eyed the refrigerator remembering how hungry he was. Though, really the thought of food instead of being able to hug Claire and have her close wasn't that comforting.

he picked off a spec of linen from his dress shirt and sighed. The day that he had gone to Odessa he had never imagined any of what he was surrounded with would have happened. sometimes, he also had to ask himself, was it all worth it? Loosing yourself to your niece, and shattering her innocence the way he had, was it all worth it for moments of lust between them?

It hadn't really gotten them anywhere. instead they were both left with broken hearts that would never mend and mediocre love life that would never again satisfy them, like each other had. Peter knew it wouldn't matter who he met, for his heart would never forget the perfection that Claire was. Anyone he had ever been with or would ever be with was no match for her, she was a Nefertiti, a Queen Elizabeth, a forbidden fruit that he had bit into.

The dryness of his lips caught him off guard and he licked them, to try and remain at ease at watching Jerod kiss Claire. it was all he could do, watch.

"You really should try not to be so obvious Peter", a cold yet darkly amused voice rang behind him. He wasn't sure, but his mother knowing, really didn't surprise him. Then again Angela Petrelli was a whole universe of secrets that he'd never figure out, son or not. Peter frowned and turned around to at least try and play it off as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

As he was about to speak though, she raised her hand and made a motion for him to be quiet, "Don't insult my intelligence Peter. One would have to be a fool to believe that child is not yours. Quite frankly the resemblance is uncanny"

What could he answer to something so blunt? All he _could _really do was stay quiet. His eyes met hers, and he wasn't even surprised to see that she was smirking a bit. Yet, now that they knew the real Angela Petrelli, he wouldn't have been surprised if she _did _approve of incest.

"Follow me"

__

Angela's Prophetic Walls

The last time he could really remember being in his parents' room had been when he was 8. Of course then he had been mildly ignorant, and hadn't really paid attention to the details that had been there before, or that the future was plastered in paintings that were hung on the walls.

He had always assumed that the boy with the flimsy black hair was him. He had his lip, his bangs, the paleness porcelain color to his skin, but now he knew better, he had met the future and the boy that decorated Angela's bedroom walls was Parker, _his_ son.

For few minutes she was completely silent and let him take in his surroundings. He drank the truth before him, and saw with irony what really lay ahead for him and Parker. He had known what was going to happen to him, but he had no way of knowing that Parker would play his part, and felt touched by what he saw.

It was obviously a given that he was going to die, he knew that much. What he hadn't known was why, and with everything depicted in front of him, it was ok. Death was just the beginning anyway, at least that's what he had been taught in church.

With the parting of her lips, Angela stood before him and grabbed hold of his attention, "You see Peter, I've known for a long time. I suppose you could even say I've been waiting for it since you were born. I'll admit that when your father and I found out we were a bit shocked, sickened by the thought even, but you see, it's inevitable. Now, your father really never got over the idea that his youngest son would father a child with his own niece, so you know now why it was that he was so detached from you"

Peter stayed silent and kept his eyes on her, intent on knowing why she hadn't said anything if she'd known all this time. But something struck him, and he cocked his head to the side, frowning, "You knew...you knew I wasn't going to die that night in Kirby Plaza, didn't you? That's why you didn't care..."

He wasn't really mad, he just understood now. All that time he'd felt as Angela had really ceased to feel, and was a cold heartless woman, but it wasn't anything like that at all. For she was just waiting for his future now, what lay ahead. If he had been any other person, he would have been mad and upset that his mother wanted him dead, but after seeing what his death meant, it was fine. Besides, Peter couldn't really imagine being able to watch Claire in bliss with her Forest Gump look-a-like husband that she had.

Angela raised her hand to his cheek, and Peter turned his gaze up to her eyes only to notice they were brimmed with tears, "I have loved you since before I was pregnant with you Peter. I worked so hard for this not to happen. I sent Claire away, made your brother believe she was dead, so that it would not come to this. I'm so sorry I failed you"

There was no other way but overwhelmed to explain how Peter was feeling. So, he just stood there and let his mother take him in for a hug, and he did what the Peter he had been before would have done, reassure her that none of which was happening or was going to, was her fault.

It would take him all he was to come to the fact that in the end, he'd leave this world a ghost. he would never be greatness or the Hero he had hoped he'd be known as. Most importantly though, he would never defeat Sylar, Parker would.

__

We have the future

She was content. She really was, Jerod was great, and what more could she ask for but the perfection of a little boy she had. Everyone told her the same thing, that no one had seen such a beautiful baby since Peter had been born. Even complete strangers would stop in the middle of the streets to stare and smile at the tiny baby wrapped in blankets in the stroller.

Parker had a magnetic attention that could not be avoided, and a smile that would make her smile but at the same time haunt her nights and remind Claire of who his father really was.

The person who had surprisingly taking a liking to him though, had been Angela. When she would look at him, there would be a tiny smile that crept on her face and Claire couldn't explain, but just knew it was honest. She would hold Parker in her arms and talk to him, and he looked up at Angela's eyes as if understanding all that his great grandmother was telling him.

__

"You are beautiful Parker"

, she'd say to him, which he would smile his limp lip with. Somehow, Claire knew that Parker and Angela would have a bound that she'd never understand, and would never have herself.

And as much as she disliked her grandmother and knew they would never get along, she wouldn't keep Parker from her. Not when it seemed that Angela might have finally found a soft spot inside her body made of stone.

As she looked at him sleeping in his crib, she caressed his hair and smiled. She liked nights like these, where they were alone and Jerod was off working or at school. They were the only moments where she could speak to him truthfully and tell him stories of the father he would never really come to know as his.

A noise from window startled her, and she turned to see Peter trying to find his balance. He looked a little peak-ier than before, but happier too, more at peace. He was wearing her favorite outfit of his, a white collared shirt underneath a black sweater, and fitted jeans. Claire couldn't help at think that he'd planned it, just because he knew that she loved it.

"What are you doing here?" she tried to make her voice angry, annoyed, but all it really sounded like was breathy and hushed.

"I missed you", he whispered. Peter dug his hands deep inside his pockets and half smiled, blinking repeatedly. Claire knew Peter had always been emotional, he couldn't help it, he _was _an empath.

But it bothered her, she didn't like to see sad and weepy Peter. A peter who got all chocked up in front of her and started crying. Because that wasn't the Peter she remembered from that first night in Odessa, that wasn't the Peter who had seemed fearless at the thought of death or when she had almost shot him in the back of the head.

So she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "Peter, you can't come here like this anymore. I'm married now!"

Wouldn't he ever understand that? Why did he always have to linger to the thought of her, and remind her of the guilt she held everyday knowing she had hurt him?

"I just wanted to see you Claire", he whispered and turned his head to the crib, "And him".

He took a step toward her and she stepped back, the thought of being close to Peter could break her and make her forget of any vows that the ring on her finger held. Because her attraction and love for him would always over power anything she made herself believe she felt for Jerod. He advanced though until the distance between them was but a few inches.

"I love you Claire...". It sounded so wounded, so needy, but she refused to respond. She refused to say the same, because all her work to try and move what she felt for him to the back of her mind would ultimately evaporate, and she'd melt in his arms again.

His breathing stopped and he looked up to the ceiling for a few seconds before sighing and bringing his eyes back to her, "I love you ok?"

"Why are you doing this Peter? I've worked _so _hard to make things work! You were the one that wanted this before, remember? Besides, we've always said we have later. We have the future right?"

Claire remembered the way that Angela had grown frightened the night when both Peter and Nathan had exploded in the sky. The look that had been plastered on her face had been broken, and in complete sorrow. And now she saw the resemblance between her and Peter. For Peter's face broke into the same pain that had plagued his mother that same night.

"What's wrong Peter?"

He frowned and swallowed but shook his head at the same time, "Nothing"

The unfailing smile that Claire knew too well came back to his face, and she saw him blink back possible tears. His ever soft finger tips met her face and he trailed her lips and brought her forward to him. He didn't kiss her lips, and Claire knew it was out of respect for Jerod. Instead his lips brushed her forehead, and lingered ever so lightly. And though it wasn't her lips that he kissed, it felt more intimate and love-filled than any that she'd ever exchanged with Jerod.

When he pulled away, he lingered close to her and his breath hit her forehead, "I-I love you Claire"

She pulled back and frowned grabbing his wrists in her hands, "Are you drunk? Nathan told me you've been drinking a lot lately"

He laughed and shook his head, "No. I'm not anymore. I just want you to know that, ok? I love you"

Peter suddenly snapped his head and turned it towards the front door of the apartment, "Jerod's coming up the stairs. I should go."

But he didn't move, instead looked at Claire, and she knew he was waiting for her to say no-and stay. But she couldn't do that, her life was different now. What she was doing would only benefit them in the long run. So he smiled again, and turned whispering goodbye, and Claire could feel her heart pounding loudly against her chest because something wasn't right.

"We have the future Peter, right?"

The light from the moon shined on his face and made it glow with the creeping of his very own sad smile, "Of course"

Something told her he wasn't being honest though, she could feel it. Just like she could feel him always looking at her, or his presence, she just knew. She knew that he wasn't truthful with her, "Promise?"

A sigh escaped him, making his whole thin body shake a little, "I promise I'm in your future Claire"

And he was gone.

__

The Godfather

2 months. That was all that was left until Parker's birthday. Until the time Peter knew he was safe, and the ticking bomb would go off. Until Parker's birthday he was safe, until then he could rest.

He was doing everything in his power to avoid the fairy-tale couple. Brunch was off limits, and he always called before going to the Petrelli mansion. It wasn't that he didn't want to see them-well ok, it was. He couldn't take it, Peter wanted to be noble and do the right thing, and trying to romance his married niece certainly wasn't categorized under noble and gentlemanly.

On this day he was safe though, he just knew it. It was a Monday and noon. Jerod would be out in school and Claire would be in central park taking a stroll with Heidi while they discussed motherly things...he had followed them a few times, in a rather messed up state.

So that was why this Monday, he was safe and fine. He needed to look at the future-depicting portraits that hung on the walls of his mother's bedroom. Looking at his death should have tormented him, but strangely enough it didn't. The more he stared at what would happen, the more he was becoming at ease with the idea.

At the entrance of the Petrelli mansion, he hung his coat and walked past the foyer, looking down momentarily at his shoes, Vans. He'd just bought them that week, he'd always wanted a pair. But Nathan had always gone on about how Vans were for teenagers and he should grow up. That didn't matter anymore obviously. Peter intended to fill these last two months with all the things he'd ever wanted to do in his life. His very own _Bucket List_.

As he made his way towards the stairs he ran into someone and looked up to see a very scared and shocked Jerod.

Peter mentally cursed.

"Peter! You scared me!"

It seemed now that after all his attempts and struggles to remain away from then, it obviously wasn't going to work, because the whole world was working against him. He really should have figured that out since the beginning of all his messes. Nevertheless, he sighed, "Sorry"

Jerod smiled and shrugged, letting his eyebrows suddenly expand back, "Actually, I'm glad I ran into you"

Peter squeezed past him and started walking up the stairs to try and get away from him. Not that Jerod actually figured that out, because he was following him anyway, "Oh really?"

"Yes indeedy. Your mom has been pressuring us to baptize Parker, and we were thinking what other perfect day than to do it on his birthday you know?" He actually did sound very pleased about it. Then again, Jerod was never really in a bad mood. Which was probably why Claire liked him so much, he was the total opposite to him.

"Yeah-that's great Jerod"

"Well I was thinking...well Claire and I were thinking-hoping that you would be Parker's godfather?"

Peter stopped dead in his tracks. Godfather? To _his_ own biological child? He just _knew that_ wasn't Claire's idea. She had probably nothing to do with wanting him to be the godfather. Peter knew it was all Jerod's idea, for some reason he'd always liked him. He turned around with a small frown, "Me?"

As Jerod's head nodded, Peter cocked his head to the side slightly and imagined one of those dogs with the bobbing head...yeah that was definitely Jerod.

"Why?"

At this, Jerod looked confused, "Well Heidi's going to be the godmother, so it would only be right if you were the godfather"

Peter raised his eyebrows and very slowly asked, "Don't you think it would make more sense for _Nathan_ to be the godfather then?"

But Jerod wasn't confused this time, instead he found it amusing and laughed, "No, of course not man. We really would like it if you would be the godfather-Hey! That sounded like that movie, _The Godfather_"

"Right...Anyway-I'll think about it, ok?" He wouldn't though, he had no intention of being a godfather to anyone, especially Parker. He patted Jerod on the arm and turned around to leave, but Jerod grabbed his arm.

"Peter it would mean a lot to us if you'd do it. Claire and I both look up to you, I couldn't think of anyone else that would suit as a godfather. Besides none of my friends want to do it"

Then again, it wouldn't hurt, and it really wouldn't make a difference if he was the godfather or not, "What the hell, fine"

__

A Petrelli Baptism

The day was there and Parker was one. He had started taking small steps, and when Claire and Jerod had gotten to the church Peter had seen Parker smile and make his way towards him, as if it was he who had raised him. When in fact, he'd spend very few days with Jerod, and had held him only a number of times all of them being by the insistence of Jerod.

When Claire turned and realized that Parker had let go of her hand and saw him walking towards Peter, she stood still. As if she was too afraid to follow him, as if Peter was some type of stranger, that she would let her child walk to, but she wouldn't dare get close to.

Peter was so focused on Claire, that when Parker had finally made his way to him and grabbed his legs, he got quite scared. Parker smiled and raised his arms, insinuating for Peter to pick him up, but he resisted.

"Pick up your god_son_ Peter", his Mother called from where she stood talking to her friends.

So he did. His hands wrapped around the infant and picked him up. Parker smiled at him, and laid his head on Peter's shoulder, making himself comfortable.

"Don't you look all fatherly", joked Nathan from behind him.

Peter turned around and gave him a dry laugh, "Sure Nathan"

Jerod walked up to Nathan and looked at Peter holding Parker, "No he's right! Parker really likes you, you guys could be twins!" He laughed.

Nathan blinked, puckered an eyebrow and turned to look at Jerod who kept smiling, "Times like these are when I ask myself why I did I ever let you marry my daughter"

"Oh, well because I got her Pregnant"

Peter scoffed, and tried to hide his smile, but Nathan noticed it and glared at him then looked back at Jerod, "You're very lucky that Claire likes you"

Without another word Nathan turned around and walked away from them both.

Peter sighed and tried to remove Parker from him, only to find that he was clinging on to him with his small little fists. Each time he kept trying, Parker would make little squeals of defiance.

"Tell him to let go"

Jerod walked up put his arms around Parkers waist, "Come on buddy, let go of uncle Peter"

He still didn't budge though, and his screaming only intensified as Jerod attempted to remove him from Peter's arms.

It was then that it all of a sudden got chaotic. With Parker's screams, the police car siren, the head Peter saw in the bush's that resembled the older Parker, and Claire's sudden disappearance.

Two cars crashed in front of the church and the police car raced towards the scene to see what had happened. Everyone started turning and speaking to each others. Peter started consuming their thoughts and the slightest movement thundered in his ears. A malicious laugh was what struck out more than anything else.

Sylar.

He stood in the bushes away from the crowed, with a struggling Claire in his arms but there was no older Parker to be seen. Maybe the older Parker had never been there, it had all been his illusion once again.

"Let her go!" thundered Peter with a presence of anger he'd never known to have.

"Hand me Parker, and I'll go away Peter", he said with a false smile and a glint of madness to his eyes, "All I want is that baby"

"Don't you dare hand him Parker Peter" It was the first time that Claire had addressed him since that night and for a second Peter's whole world went into Claire's eyes and he got lost in them. For a few seconds all that mattered where the two of them and the baby that clung to him for dear life.

A sudden shock threw him off guard though, and he fell backwards on to the pavement. Parker was pulled from his arms and he could see him being pulled telekinetically by Sylar. In those seconds all he heard was the beating of his heart but he was immobile and couldn't move. He couldn't stand up for some reason and stop Sylar from grabbing hold of Parker.

And then it happened. The Parker he'd met in California, the _older_ Parker appeared from thin air in between them and grabbed hold of his younger self.

At the other end Sylar growled and roughly threw Claire to the tree besides them, binding her to it with his telekinesis, and turned towards the two Parkers.

Peter's coherence came back and he stood up, the scene was just as he had seen it in his mother's room. He knew exactly what to do.

"Big mistake"

Sylar's finger went up, and he pointed it towards the two Parkers, who both looked scared to death. It all went in slow motion then, and Peter jumped in front of both and felt the piercing pain along his neck cut him and he fell to his knees feeling the blood seep through the long cut.

He turned to look at both Parkers and saw as the older one raised his own finger and scowled at Sylar not stopping to think or hesitating at all as he viciously used his own power on him to slash his full neck off with no pity.

Claire who had been watching from the side fell down as Sylar's telekinesis died with him, and rushed to Peter's side crying.

"You're going to be ok Peter! You can't die! You have me!" she screamed and held his face in her shaking hands, While both Parker's and Jerod kneeled next to him on his other side.

And as death slowly pulled him, he turned to Claire, smiled and sent one last message through to her before closing his eyes forever, "_We have the future_"

__

Epilogue

He didn't dare open his eyes, because he knew hell would be before him. It smelled like the mansion, and he knew there and then that it was hell because god knew just what frightened him the most, and what his hell was. His hell was the Petrelli mansion.

But when he opened his eyes and realized that Claire was in front of him, he thought twice and cocked his head to the side.

She put her hand to her heart and looked at him slightly elated, and half scared, "You scared me half to death!"

Claire was sitting at her vanity and combing her hair just like she had that first day she'd come back from Paris, she was even wearing the same clothes.

Peter frowned and looked down to himself and realized just what he had on. His dark fitted jeans, a black long-sleeved sweater, and a white collared dress shirt underneath...with the collar popped up.

His heart stopped and his breath was short and airy as he looked up at Claire asking slowly, "Claire...what year is it?"

She frowned and laughed, "2007..."

He let himself fall against the wall with a pang and laughed, taking his head in his hands. What had happened? Was he to relive his mistakes over and over again?

Was it a second chance at making things right?

Was it all a dream?

He really didn't care at this point, he just shook his head, stood up straight, and walked over to her taking her by her cheeks and roughly crushed his lips against hers.

* * *

Author's Note: Wow it's all done! Finally!! does happy dance I know some of you wont like the ending because it's sort of not like an ending...sort of? But it's DONE! and I can breath now, and that's just how I thought the ending should be and I'm sorry if you dont' like it, but I'm sort of satisfied with it? Thank you to all who read it and motivated me into updated and just thanks! I'm so happy its finished! :)


	18. Angela's Story

**Pretty surprised right? Me too Lol. But I figured, since a lot of you didn't understand the ending of the fic, since I left it to open interpretation, that I'd expand a little on it. This is also my contribution to the celebration of our 200th thread over at the Heroes Fan Forum. So...without further interruptions, please enjoy Angela's mini story :D Oh and give Ballad Of Big Nothing a try, it's not that bad, I promise! It has a pretty solid story line :D**

* * *

**Desole**

_Angela's POV_

It's hard to say exactly _when_ I knew. Perhaps it was the spring that Peter turned nine and we decided to go visit Meredith, to see what Nathan's spawn would look like. The first look that they exchanged might have been what set it off, I'm not quite sure now. Or perhaps it was when Charles told me the dream he'd had.

It could have even been predestined and out of our control. Still, at some point, I knew that I had to stop it. I had to prevent this catastrophic future for my youngest son and niece, it was my duty.

When I learned about the fire, it made sense to do it then, to hide the baby and make it seem like she had died. I didn't want her dead, of course, what type of grandmother would I have been? No, I just wanted her to be far away, where things wouldn't unfold as

Charles had predicted them. It was very hard to part with my first, beautiful grandchild, but it was only for the best.

If they didn't know about their future, how would they be able to miss it? Surely they didn't love each other _yet_, it seemed quite impossible. But the look that Peter gave Claire as a baby had something behind it, something he didn't even know how to define at such a young age.

I looked down at my son, knowing later on we'd have to visit the young Haitian boy.

Peter looked up at me, "Does she get to go live at our house now?"

"Oh, no, darling, she mustn't."

His small, empathetic face frowned. I remember the incomprehension it held, "Why? She belongs with us, I know it, Mom. We can't leave her here, she's a Petrelli."

What a fool I had been to bring him, I was the cause for the start of their incestuous connection. He hadn't even spent more than an hour with her and he was already feeling like she belonged to him.

We left Claire behind that day with Kaito, despite Peter's many protests that the child should live with us. I took him straight to the Haitian and did what had to be done. I did the dirty work that Arthur would not have had the audacity to do.

And for sixteen years we lived in peace. For sixteen years, I was sure that my desire for their separation had been fool proof.

Until the day she turned up.

I should have prepared myself for it but, truthfully, I had been foolish enough to believe that my work had been done, that nothing would happen. It had been my mistake not to watch them, her Homecoming night, and not to prohibit him from having visitors in that jail cell. Now, the damage was done.

The scene in front of me was heart breaking. No matter which way I separated them in the past, their paths would always cross. The more I tried, the worse it got, but this last time I was hardly able to live with myself as I saw him die before my eyes in front of Claire and their son.

No, as much as it was wrong and immoral, I simply could not stand it anymore. I stepped forward and put my hand on his chest. Claire looked at me strangely, since I was also sitting down just a few feet away from them. Silly girl, now more than ever she should have guessed that they weren't the only ones with a power. If anything, mine was just as powerful as Peter's, if not more.

I closed my eyes and pictured the defining moment, when it all started changing for the both of them, and pictured him there, removing the other Peter. This Peter would know exactly what to do, he'd know to prevent things, and what was right and wrong. He'd have a choice, unlike before.

We all watched as he slowly formed into a sort of glitter substance below my hand and completely disappeared.

This time, it would be different.

This time, I would not interfere.

Parker frowned, and I gave my grandson a reassuring smile. His father would be fine this time, but whether or not he'd get to know him- that was up to Peter...


End file.
